The UT Administration has invited Chandigarh-based non-government organisations (NGOs) and social activists to come forward and join hands to work for various social initiative programmes.

The proposal titled the ‘Partnership Initiative Programme’ will cover five main issues — imparting education to children who have been unable to join schools, drug de-addiction, female foeticide, environmental protection (sanitation, garbage removal and tree plantation programmes) and rehabilitation of differently-abled persons.

In the meeting held on Friday under the chairmanship of Home Secretary Ram Niwas, it was decided that the NGOs or individuals will have to register themselves with various coordinators of these programmes by June 5.

While Dr M S Bains will be the nodal officer for female foeticide and drug de-addiction programmes,

Dr G Dewan shall be the nodal officer for sanitation and removal of garbage programme. Ishwar Singh, Conservator of Forests, will be nodal officer of the tree plantation programme.

Director Public Instructions (Schools) Samwartak Singh will take care of the education programme while Director Social Welfare, Amandeep Kaur will be the nodal officer of the rehabilitation programme.

A seminar of all such NGOs will be held on June 10 at Tagore Theatre, which will be inaugurated by UT Administrator General S F Rodrigues (Retd). All voluntary agencies which come forward will be issued identity cards on the Administration’s behalf and an annual social audit will be conducted to make sure that these programmes are on track. Annual awards will be instituted for those NGOs and volunteers who have shown exemplary contribution to society in their respective fields.