CHANDIGARH - The Chandigargh administration Monday announced a unique programme where citizens contribute to the betterment of the city by teaching school dropouts, planting trees or helping in disposal of garbage, an official said.

“Our comprehensive Partnership Initiative Programme will cover five broad areas and there will be a nodal head for each area who will keep a tab on the work done and the progress rate,” Ram Niwas, union territory home secretary, told reporters.

This programme is broadly divided in five spheres of education, health, social welfare, forestation and sanitation.

“We had invited expression of interests from interested NGOs, voluntary agencies, social workers, individuals and resident welfare associations to contribute to this programme. The response is whopping as nearly 200 NGOs or other organisations have registered with us,” he said.

Niwas said: “Under education theme, we will run alternate education programme for school dropouts or those who have never been to school. Here the NGO’s work will be to sensitise people about the fundamental right of education and to bring children back to school.”

“We would provide them infrastructure, books and full autonomy but they have to yield results. Similarly under health, our focus will be on drug de-addiction and on eradicating female foeticide from the society.”

The administration is also looking for speech therapists, family counsellors, call centre trainers, computer instructors, yoga, drawing and painting dance and music teachers to help in community work.

“It is just like community service where even students can work after their school hours. We would pay some honorary amount to these individuals but there would be no grants for NGOs working under this programme,” Niwas said.

Volunteers and organisations will also be deputed to plant trees all over the city, he added.

Photo identity cards will also be issued to all the individuals associated with the programme so that they can have easy access to the nodal officer, Niwas said.

“Under the sanitation programme the Ngos would sensitise masses to not to litter or to burn garbage and dry leaves, and will motivate them to dispose them at proper places. They will also identify habitual defaulters and counsel them,” Niwas said.