The revised guidelines of the MNGO Scheme are expected to add value to the scheme as it exists and to improve accountability at all levels. These guidelines are applicable within the Institutional framework as laid out below.

GoI

Government of India provides support through policy guidelines, approvals and release of funds to State RCH Society. Grants-in-Aid Committee, (GIAC) approves the MNGO project recommended by the NGO Selection Committee. The NGO Selection Committee is constituted at the state level for the purpose of MNGO selection and is chaired by the Joint Secretary, Department of Family Welfare, GOI. Its function is to recommend MNGO proposals for approval by the GIAC, which is chaired by the Secretary, Family Welfare, and has representation of Financial Advisor and Planning
Commission.

Regional Resource Centres (RRCs)
Technical support for NGO capacity enhancement, documentation of best practices,
induction and in-service training, liaison with the state government, updating data base on RCH issues and development of MIS is provided by Regional Resource Centres and other technical institutions as found necessary. This is expected to complement the technical support decisions made by the State RCH Society.

Apex Resource Cell (ARC)
Located within the NGO division, the ARC will coordinate the activities of all the RRCs, manage budgets, and facilitate RRC coordination and interaction with state governments.

Regional Director (RD)

• Receive all applications from MNGO applicants and conduct pre-scrutiny/desk review of all applications, based on checklist
• Provide the collated information on the NGO applications to the State RCH Society and convene the meeting of the State NGO Committee till the State NGO Coordinator is identified and placed
• Participate in the review of applications as a member of the State NGO Committee
• Participate in the final selection of MNGO as a member of the NGO Selection Committee
• Undertake field visits if required and submit tour reports to State Secretary (FW) & copy to NGO Division, GoI.

NGO Selection Committee

The selection of MNGOs will be carried out by the NGO Selection Committee, chaired by the Joint Secretary, FW, GoI. This Committee will be constituted at the level of each state for the purpose of selection of MNGOs. The other members include the State Health & Family Welfare Secretary, Regional Director, RRC Representative, Project
Director RCH Society/ director (FW) as Member Secretary and 1-2 co- opted members.

The selection of MNGO will be based on desk review reports and field appraisals of the eligible NGOs conducted by the RRCs. After selection of the MNGO, the NGO Selection Committee will place the recommendation to the GIAC for approval.

State RCH Society
The State RCH Society constitutes a technical NGO Committee, called the State NGO
Committee and ensures the placement of State NGO Coordinator. From selection of MNGOs, recommendation of projects for GoI approval, fund disbursement, capacity building, training, monitoring to evaluation, is the responsibility of the State RCH Society.

State NGO Committee
The State NGO Coordinator convenes the meeting of the State NGO Committee, chaired by the Secretary (FW) or his nominee. Till the time the State NGO Coordinator is identified and gets placed, the Regional Director convenes the NGO committee meetings. The presence of GoI representative, RD and State NGO Coordinator is mandatory. The RRC and Director (FW) are also members of the Committee.

The primary responsibilities of the State NGO Committee are:

• Examine findings of the desk review and identify eligible NGOs
• Get field appraisal of eligible NGOs done by the RRCs
• Coordinate training of selected MNGOs
• Release of grant –in –aid as per MoU
• Monitoring of MNGOs
• Organize meetings to review the MNGO performance from time to time and ensure
  timely release of funds
• Commission MNGO evaluation through external evaluating agency
• Send utilization certificates to GOI
• Act as arbitrator in case of dispute

For review of NGO applications:

• On receiving the pre-scrutiny/desk review reports from the RD’s office, the State NGO Committee convenes a meeting for review of NGO applications and prepares agenda
• Invite Secretary (FW) and other members of the committee to attend the meeting
• Prepare minutes and decision taken. Communi-cate the same to GoI and respective NGOs.

State NGO Coordinator

• The full time NGO coordinator is responsible for management of the DoFW supported NGO schemes, including the MNGO Scheme
• The roles and responsibilities of the NGO coordinator are liaising, coordinating and
  supporting the MNGOs
• Towards this, the coordinator works closely with the State RCH Society, communicates government RCH and health policies to MNGOs, undertakes periodic field visits, develops terms of reference and participates in the evaluations, ensures timely submission of reports by the MNGOs, timely release of funds
  and maintains necessary records
• The State NGO Coordinator functions as a coordination point between the MNGOs and the RRCs and other technical resource institutes for meeting the technical needs of the NGOs under the MNGO Scheme
• The State NGO coordinator is a part of the State RCH Society, and reports to Secretary (Family Welfare).

District RCH Society

The District RCH Society constitutes a technical committee called District NGO Committee for selection and approval of FNGOs and recommendation of MNGO projects. The District RCH/FW officer convenes the District NGO Committee. Other members include, State NGO Coordinator, RRC representative, MO, PHC, ANMs of the concerned project area and an NGO (who is not a grantee) nominated by the district
collector.

• Functions:
  • Select and approve FNGO projects
  • Approve and recommend the MNGO project proposal based on FNGO projects
  • Facilitate the signing of MoU between the MNGO and the District RCH Society
  • Send the signed MoU to State RCH Society for release of funds and inform GoI
  • Undertake review meeting to assess performance of FNGOs and MNGO.

Appraisal and Evaluating Agencies
The Regional Resource Centres conduct the field appraisals prior to MNGO selection. There is a panel of identified and trained evaluating agencies at the regional and state levels that conduct the subsequent mid term and final evaluations. The state can request
any of these agencies to evaluate the MNGO project. The agencies also obtain feedback from the State RCH Society and the District RCH Society who are responsible for periodic monitoring of the MNGO projects.

Inter-Departmental Linkages
NGOs under the MNGO scheme are expected to network with PRIs, women’s groups including self-help groups, youth networks, teachers, parents and other members in the community.