No proposal to grade NGOs over their performance: Thaawar Chand Gehlot

NEW DELHI: Government today said there was no proposal to grade NGOs on the basis of qualitative assessment of their performance, with the Congress taking a dig at the Prime Minister over his remarks about "five-star" NGOs even when there was no categorisation.

Replying to supplementary questions in Rajya Sabha, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot also asserted that the government was not targeting anyone.

His remarks came in the backdrop of recent actions against NGOs like Greenpeace and Ford Foundation's funding of Teesta Setalvad's NGOs.

Gehlot said there was no proposal at present for grading of NGOs in general on the basis of qualitative assessment of their performance.

Immediately after the reply, B K Hariprasad (Cong) wanted to know from the government and the Prime Minister, who was present in the House, the meaning of "five-star NGOs" even when there was no proposal of grading NGOs.

His party colleague, Anand Sharma, said the Prime Minister had used the words "five-star" NGOs at a recent conference of Chief Justices of High Courts and Chief Ministers.

In his reply, Gehlot further said his Ministry has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to formulate standards for accreditation of Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Drug Addicts leading to certification of their competency in rehabilitation of drug addicts.

He said during the last three fiscals, his Ministry had blacklisted eight NGOs.