Bihar Government launched Sahyog Bihar Web Portal today as a web-based platform for promoting Government, Semi Government and Voluntary Organisations collaboration in Bihar.
It was inaugurated by Narendra Narayan Yadav, Minister of Planning & Development Department in Govt. of Bihar at ADHIVESHAN BHAWAN, Old Secretariat, Patna.
The Website URL is www.sahyogbihar.in.
Sahyog Bihar aims to promote cooperation between social sector agencies in Bihar. It facilitates on-line registration of Voluntary Organisations, Universities, Resource Persons and Government Departments to create a searchable database of the Departments, Resource Persons, Universities and Agencies working in the state.
Just by registering on the website, the Voluntary Organisations would be able to disseminate information about their work to a large number of stakeholders. They would become accessible to Government Departments/ Development Agencies needing their help and also they would be able to access information about upcoming schemes and programs requiring social sector participation. Moreover, it will provide opportunities to the Voluntary Organisations for getting connected with the likeminded organizations and thus foster exchange of ideas, resource material, expertise, etc. The website has a potential to be used as a tool to develop a strong voluntary sector in the state.
During and after nineties, the number of “Voluntary Organisations†registered in Bihar has increased exponentially. Although official estimates are hard to get, according to some estimates, presently there are more than thirty thousand Voluntary Organisations in Bihar.
Sahyog HandsAt present there is no mechanism of mapping the Voluntary Organisations who are working on diverse issues in different geographical locations in the state. There is no denying the fact that they have tremendous reach and clout with the local communities in their area of work, and if they can be partnered judiciously, many issues related with awareness creation, community mobilization, campaign coordination, etc can be executed more effectively.
All the national flagship programmes and many schemes sponsored by the state government require active participation by Voluntary Organisations on a variety of issues. But, in absence of a credible database, it becomes extremely difficult for the decision makers to identify Voluntary Organisations having required strengths and presence in identified geographical areas.
There are few effective VO networks in the state, working around issues such as child labor, exclusion, gender, panchayats, etc. One of the factors hindering formation of such networks is absence of any cost effective mechanism to help the Voluntary Organisations in getting to know the priorities of each-other and thus trying to come together around such issues.
“Sahyogbihar†will facilitate on-line registration of Voluntary Organisations to create a searchable database on the same for the state. It will provide an opportunity to the willing Voluntary Organisations to register themselves and thereby gradually build a database of Voluntary Organisations working in Bihar which will be useful for Voluntary Organisations as well as for the State Government and development agencies.
The Voluntary Organisations will benefit as just by registering on the website, they would be able to disseminate information about their work to a large number of stakeholders. They would become accessible to Government Departments/ Development Agencies needing their help and also they would be regularly updated about upcoming government schemes and programs requiring Voluntary Organisations participation. Moreover, it will provide opportunities to the Voluntary Organisations for getting connected with the likeminded organizations and thus foster exchange of ideas, resource material, expertise, etc.
The website would thus help to establish interface among Government, Semi Government & Voluntary Organisations, apart from various other stakeholders. The information provided by the users can also be used for a variety of purposes such as assessing the contribution being made by the social sector to Bihar economy, total funding being routed through the Voluntary Organisations in different sectors for development purposes, geographical areas having weak Voluntary Organisations presence, etc which will provide basis for policy decisions in order to develop a strong voluntary sector in the state.