NACO questions governmental bodies over HIV/AIDS project

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NACO questions governmental bodies over HIV/AIDS project

Sumitra Deb Roy, Sunday, February 10, 2008 03:15 IST

NGOs allege government agencies demanded bribe for implementing the

project

MUMBAI: The National AIDS Control Organisation's (NACO) enquiry into

the alleged misuse of funds meant for HIV/AIDS projects in

Maharashtra may open a can of worms for the bureaucracy.

It may be recollected that a recent World Bank report exposed glaring

discrepancies in the National AIDS Control Programme-II in Mumbai and

Maharashtra. It revealed lack of financial control over the money

given to the NGOs, improper selection of NGOs and rampant demand for

bribe.

A team of officials from NACO came down from Delhi on Friday to

collect evidence from the non-governmental organisations on whether

they had ever faced harassment of any form from the governmental

agencies. And the answer was a resounding " yes " from the NGOs.

The NACO is trying to collect evidences of corruption against

Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) that implements the

AIDS programmes at the state level, and the Mumbai District AIDS

Control Society (MDACS) that works for the city. The functioning of

these two nodal bodies has already been questioned in the World Bank

report.

Three of the NGOs alleged that they backed out of the AIDS project as

they could not afford to bribe officials and thus, failed to bag any

of the programmes. " We had to let go of projects as some of the MDACS

officials demanded 10-20 per cent of the project money funded by the

NACO, " said one of the NGOs, requesting anonymity. The officials

demanded bribe at every step and if refused, delayed their payments

by several months, the member added.

Some of the NGOs also claimed that " external consultants " were

thriving in the HIV/AIDS business. " There are consultants who provide

readymade projects to the NGOs with a promise that they would get it

sanctioned from the MDACS as well, " said another NGO member. " Even

these consultants demand about 20 per cent of the sanctioned funds

meant for the project, " the member added.

NACO's National Programme Advisor Dr Samarjit Jana admitted that

informal complaints against the MDACS and MSACS always existed. " But,

we never had officially documented complaints against them, " he said.

The World Bank's report gave them the much-needed reason to initiate

enquiry against the policy-makers themselves.

When questioned, Dr Prakash Sabde, project director of MSACS, refused

to talk on the issue. " I am not in a position to comment on this, " he

said.

Even the project director of MDACS, Dr Nirupa Borges, said that she

had no details about the allegations made by the NGOs. There are 22

NGOs functioning under the MDACS.

d_sumitra@...

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