20 per cent of CAPART NGOs of "doubtful integrity"

New Delhi, June 8 (UNI) Nearly 2000 of the 12,000 Non Government Organisations (NGOs) working with Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), an autonomous society in the Ministry of Rural Development face the prospects of being black- listed for being "organisations of doubtful integrity." CAPART, which has black listed 362 NGOs for 'misutilisation of funds', has stopped funds to 1,314 organisations seeking detailed clarifications. There is also a long list of 1233 defaulters.

The maximum number of NGOs with doubtful category are located in Bihar (113), the home state of Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, followed by Uttar Pradesh (57), Andhra Pradesh (35) and Karnataka (22).

Gujarat happens found to be a state where fund utilisation is best in the country followed by Rajsthan and Tamil Nadu, CAPART Director General Veena Srirama Rao told newspersons. The recoveries have been a meagre Rs 22 lakhs.

She said after two decades of working closely with voluntary organisations, CAPART was redefining its strategies to address current gaps in rural programmes of governmental and non-governmental sector for rural development. The intention was to improve skill development, income generation, rainwater harvesting, satintion and innovative practical and sanitation models for rural areas with NGOs with proven track record.

UNI MCN VD VV1833