Date:24/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/24/stories/2007072451340300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Social audit of job guarantee scheme

Special Correspondent

To be carried out from July 26 to August 4

Local organisations will be involved in the exercise in Villupuram district
Issues concerning scheme’s shortcomings and problems in implementation will be addressd

VILLUPURAM: A social audit will be conducted on the progress of the rural employment guarantee scheme in select panchayat unions of Villupuram district from July 26 to August 4, according to Brajendra Navnit, District Collector.

The Central Employment Guarantee Council and certain recognised service organisations would conduct the audit. Local voluntary organisations would also be involved, Mr. Navnit told presspersons here on Monday.

After Jharkhand State, Villupuram is the only district to conduct such an audit.

The comprehensive audit would be carried out at field-level to assess the works completed, assets created, wages given, amenities for the workers, and the works to be taken up.

Mr. Navnit said under the scheme 2.64 lakh families had benefited, and through them 854 works had been completed. These included creation of new tanks, renovation of the existing ones, development of irrigation canals and construction of roads. A total of 1,215 works were under way.

Till now, Rs. 95 crore had been given away as wages at the rate of Rs.80 a day to both men and women since the scheme was launched one-and-half years before.

Remedial measures

The social audit, a component of the scheme, was meant to address issues concerning shortcomings and problems in its implementation.

The works taken up in Thirukkoilur, Thiruvennainallur, Thirunavalur, Mayilam and Vaanur panchayat unions would be subjected to auditing.

The Collector further said that July 24 and 25 would be devoted to collection of documents. For the next three days, from July 26 to 28, 500 volunteers who will do the audit, will be trained in Villupuram.

Later, the trained volunteers would span out in those panchayat unions and carry out social auditing for three days from July 29 to 31. On August 1, special Gram Sabha sessions would be convened to present the respective social audit reports.

The exercise would culminate in a district-level review meeting to be held at Villupuram on August 4 in which the elected representatives of the local bodies, MLAs and MPs would participate.

The Collector appealed to the people to extend their cooperation for the successful completion of the social audit.