The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangasthan, NYKS, an autonomous body under department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India has conferred UNDP-NYKS Award for Youth Volunteers Against Poverty 2000 to Miss Oinam Indira Devi. The Award was presented during a special ceremony at Bhubaneshwar recently.

Ms. Oinam Indira who hails from Thoubal Ningombam is the secretary of Thoubal bases Women's Income Generation Centre. The award conferred to her was instituted in 1997 to mark the UN Decade for the eradication of Poverty 1997-2006. The basic objective is to recognize significant contributions by young social workers in the field of poverty eradication in the country. It is also to motivate and encourage such youth workers/volunteers to increase their efforts and become living examples for other to motivate.

Indira who was earlier honored with prestigious National Youth Award in 1994 while talking to the writer narrated her commitments towards the eradication of poverty. She has shown exemplary commitments towards working for the eradication of poverty and human advancement among poor people in 500 villages of Thoubal district covering 1500 beneficiaries. Under her leadership, Women's Income Generation Centre had spearheaded vocational and skill development trainings, construction of village infrastructure, awareness campaigns on various important issues and popularization of small savings and micro-finance among women. Because of her initiative, young women started their own self-employment ventures and form self-help groups and thereby have become economically independent, Indira said. According to her, the award is given to her in recognition of her salutary contribution and special enterprises in helping people and the community to win the race against poverty with the spirit of volunteerism and voluntary actions.

Asked about the mushrooming multitudinous NGOs in the state Indira said, Manipur is one of the states which have the largest number of NGOs. She further added except few, most NGOs in the state lack sense of accountability and commitment. Huge amount of money sanctioned from various funding agencies and government have been diverted to individual pockets under the cover of running NGOs she said adding that it is an open secret situation in Manipur. She is of the strong opinion that it is high time for the press to delve into those NGOs and unfold the reality.

Women's Income Generation Centre is currently undergoing trainings on embroidery, wool knitting, and dying. Under the sponsorship of Ministry of Information Technology the Centre is also opening DoEACC 'O' Level Computer Course. A 48-room workingwomen's hostel is also on the card. Her future plans includes generation of additional employment for the landless people, vocational trainings, rehabilitation Centre for women and development of village infrastructures.