Kolkata, Mar 10 (UNI) Voluntary Action Network India(VANI), an apex national association of 2,200 voluntary organizations in 24 states, has requested the Planning Commission to frame a national policy on the role of voluntary organisations, besides establishing a national coordinaton committee for Disaster Management.

Vani, which also enjoys a special consultative committee status of the United Nations(UN),besides having close working relationships with various overseas NGO federations in Europe, Latin America, Africa and South Asia, has recently been engaged in various works in a number of states and with central ministries for creating a suitable environment in the country for smooth functioning of the voluntary sector.

Some of the other important issues that VANI is currently dealing with various stakeholders include the contribution of the civil society institutions in the national gross domestic product(GDP).

In the past VANI also organized consultations and information campaigns on several issues like Structural Adjustment Programme, Communal Harmony and Panchayati Raj.

To promote good governance practices in voluntary sector VANI is now organizing a two day workshop in Kolkata from today. A large number of NGOs who are participating in the workshop would also take part in a number of debates, discourses with a view to improving legitimacy, transparency and accountability in voluntary sector, a VANI release here said.

UNI ABA KK DB1839