NGO gets prestigious UN tag

An NGO, which has been working in the field of culture, tourism and road safety, has been accorded the highest status that is granted by the United Nations to non-governmental organisations.

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granted the "special consultative status" to the Punjab-based Patiala Foundation after concurrence by representatives of all the member countries, a Punjab government release said today.

The UN headquarters informed the decision to the NGO authorities yesterday. So far, 3,974 NGOs across the globe have got this recognition, the release said.

With this special status, the NGO will have special privileges like providing expert information to the ECOSOC -- one of the six principal organs of the UN. It can engage with the secretary-general of UN, receive information about provisional agenda of the ECOSOC and place items of special interest in the agenda, the release added.

Patiala Foundation, which began its operations in 2009, has been actively working in the field of livelihood, culture, tourism and road safety. It is actively engaged in fulfilling the millennium development goals (MDG) of the UN.