NGOs should be transparent, responsible: President Bhandari

Kathmandu - The 38th Social Service Day is being observed across the country with various programmes. With the slogan, 'Peace and Prosperity- Aspiration of All: Selfless Involvement in Social Service', the Day will be celebrated for three consecutive days. 

Meanwhile, addressing an event organised by the Social Welfare Council (SWC) in the Capital to mark the Day, President Bidya Devi Bhandari today said non-governmental organisations should work for the people with concrete results. 

NGOs should be impartial, transparent, and responsible, while focusing on national interest, and social service, she said. 

"NGOs should be categorised by certain basis while focusing on delivering quality work," she said, while emphasising the need for effective monitoring of works done by them, and making public their achievements. 

She also praised the role of NGOs in carrying out development in social sector by various means like launching awareness programmes, and helping those in need. 

Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare Prem Bahadur Rai said organisations involved in social work should be transparent, while the SWC Vice Chairperson Lilamani Baral informed that preparations were underway to replace the Social Welfare Act, 2049 with a new one. 

On the occasion, the 'Tulsi Mehar Social Service Award' has been awarded to an organisation named ABC. Established by the SWC, the award carries a cash prize of Rs 100,000. 

Likewise, the 'Samaj Sewa Award, 2074' was given each to seven persons involved in social service including social worker Shanta Shrestha, Sangita Panta and Bidyakar Khatiwada. The award carries a purse of Rs 21,000.