Numerous Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), diligently engaged in vital sectors such as alternative healthcare, community development, social justice, and education, find their commendable endeavours obstructed by the indifferent disposition of bureaucrats steering the Directorate of Industries and Commerce and the CID. Despite the laudable contributions of these NGOs, acknowledged and endorsed by the Government across various platforms, their noble pursuits encounter unwarranted impediments solely in the labyrinth of the re-registration process. This protracted delay has metamorphosed into a harrowing ordeal for the NGO representatives, fatigued from ceaseless visits to the offices. Following the transformation of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory, the Directorate of Industries and Commerce mandated the renewal of registrations for all NGOs. While a substantial number have successfully navigated this bureaucratic odyssey, a disconcerting hundred-plus NGOs languish in bureaucratic purgatory, grappling with the protracted re-registration ordeal.
The current conundrum manifests a stark absence of empathy, compassion, and gravitas, rendering the prevailing circumstances utterly untenable. The sheer magnitude of time elapsed offers no plausible justification for the egregious and inexplicable delays plaguing the re-registration of NGOs. The deleterious repercussions of this bureaucratic quagmire extend far beyond the mere procedural inconvenience. The ripple effect is evident in the stalling of pending payments, cessation of grants, a moratorium on new projects, ominous notices emanating from the labour department, and the debilitating halt in filing returns. Astonishingly, both the departments disavow any culpability for this protracted imbroglio, leaving the beleaguered NGOs as the ultimate casualties. The authorities must recognise that these NGOs constitute a veritable source of employment for myriad workers, and the authorities’ dereliction of duty cannot be countenanced beyond a certain threshold. While CID verification is an indispensable prerequisite, the interminable delay bespeaks an egregious lack of logical justification. In light of these exigent circumstances, the intervention of higher authorities becomes imperative. An expeditious and judicious resolution of the issue is the need of the hour.
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