NITI seeks support from over 92K NGOs/CSOs to assist Government in fight against Covid-19

NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog has urged over 92000 Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) and Civil Service Organisations (CSO) to assist the government in fight against COVID-19.

The Empowered Group – 6 (EG 6), headed by Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, is part of the groups created by the Prime Minister to do COVID-19 management. EG 6 has met for six time during March 30-April 3.

The Group has opened up cross-sectoral dialogue within the private sector and start ups to engender collaboration among them to produce health equipment and PPEs. As many as 8 Start-Ups working in innovative health care solutions, 12 top industry leaders from CII, 6 CEOs from FICCI industry partners, 14 CEOs of top tech-based companies from NASSCOM, participated and deliberated on all issuues ranging of estimation needs for PPE, ventilators and medical equipment, retrofiting domestic production lines to meet demand, supply chain management issues, innovative technology-led solutions, issues of certification, GST, import duties on components, issues of procurement, training, post lock-down operating procedures, etc.

The Group intends to address the issues pertaining to identification of problems, effective solutions and formulation of plans with three groups of stakeholders – the UN agencies, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Civil Society Organisations and development partners and Industry associations (CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM).

It has had detailed meetings with UN Resident Coordinator for India, and country heads of WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, ILO, UN Women, UN-Habitat, FAO, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank. Following the discussions on these IO’s providing technical support in monitoring and surveillance systems, strengthening health and nutritional services, capacity building, finacial resources and critical equipment support, etc, the UN in India has built a Joint Programme Response Plan and submitted to NITI Aayog, defining their clear activities and deliverables in different sectors and States, where they are partnering with Union Ministries and State Governments.

Other members of the Group includes Dr Vijayaraghavan, (Principal Scientific Advsior) Kamal Kishore (Member, National Disaster Management Authority), Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar (Member, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Custom), Anil Malik (Additional Secretary, Home Ministry), Vikram Doraiswami, (Additional Secretary, External Affairs Ministry), P. Harish (Additional Secretary, External Affairs Ministry), Gopal Baglay (Joint Secretary, PMO), Aishvarya Singh (Deputy Secretary, PMO) andTina Soni (Deputy Secretary), Cabinet Secretariat along with Sanyukta Samaddar (Adviser, SDG, NITI Aayog).