Deptt. of Rural Development decides to institutionalise Social Audits in major schemes

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Department of Rural Development has decided to institutionalise the social audits in major schemes of Rural Development starting with National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) as a beginning is made in these two schemes by preparing the guidelines.

In this backdrop, a two-day ‘National Seminar on Social Audit of Rural Development Programmes’ is being organised at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on November 13 & 14, 2019, jointly by the Department of Rural Development and National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, with an objective to understand the current status of social audits and Social Audit Units and develop plan for roll out of social audit in other programmes.

The National Seminar will be inaugurated by the Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.  Rajiv Mehrishi, the C&AG, and Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Amarjeet Sinha, will also be present during the inauguration and share their thoughts. State Principal Secretaries of Rural Development, MGNREGA Commissioners, senior officers from the NSAP and PMAY-G (implementing) Divisions, Directors of Social Audit Units (SAUs) and selected social audit resource persons from the States have been invited to participate in the Seminar.

The Seminar will take stock of the current status of Social Audits and SAUs in terms of independency, funds, issues identified, actions taken etc. and will provide a platform for SAUs to share their experiences of conducting social audit. Models and best practices in social audit from across States in India and also from other countries will be showcased. Participants will also develop an action plan for strengthening SAUs and roll out of social audit in other rural development programmes especially NSAP and PMAY-G.

Social Audit is recognized by many, including the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), as a powerful tool to enforce transparency and accountability. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was the first Act to mandate Social Audits by the Gram Sabha of all the projects taken up in the Gram Panchayat. According to Section 17 of the MGNREGA, 2005: ‘The Gram Sabha shall conduct regular social audits of all the projects under the scheme taken up within the Gram Panchayat’. MGNREGA Audit of Schemes Rules was passed by the Central Government in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in 2011, according to a PIB release.