The membership of these institutions is privy to the statement of accounts, as indeed to the purposes on which the moneys are being spent. The beneficiaries are in the public eye. In case of any enquiry, all these documents can be procured from multiple sources, including the government s own departments. There is, therefore, no way in which the authorities can be kept in the dark by the RCIs. The new provision for publication in newspaper will complicate the procedures further and lead to a waste of funds, often procured from well meaning donors after convincing them of the felt need of the people of the area.
Newspaper advertising is an extremely expensive exercise, and is meant for commerce.
The only time Charitable and religious organisations do use newspapers is when they can persuade newspaper managements to donate space free of charge in the cause of service of the people. The big papers will be out of reach of most RCIs. It will, at best, be a tokenism and will be defeating the purported purpose of the Finance Bill. This will certainly divert funds and attention, and detract from the first purpose of these institutions to serve the poor, the weak, the marginalised in crucial areas of health, education, welfare of the child, counseling against drugs and alcoholism, and refurbishing the moral and social fabric of the family, the local area and the country at large.