Social audit on MGNREGS held in Mokokchung

[caption id="attachment_139061" align="alignleft" width="550"] DRDA officials along with village council and VDBs members from four villages during the social audit at Mokokchung on September 15.[/caption] Our Correspondent Mokokchung, Sep. (EMN): Society for Training & Research on Rural Development, Social Audit Unit (SAU) on Saturday conducted a public hearing on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) projects implemented in five villages under Mokokchung district at Longkumer Kilem conference hall on Friday. During the social public hearing, 22 MGNREGS projects (2014-15) earmarking approximately Rs one crore was audited by the district resource persons in the presence of State Resource Person (SRP)- Social Audit Unit, Moalong; Observer Ajit Kumar Verma, Assistant Commissioner, Mokokchung; and stakeholders from villages. The audit was conducted on Mokokchung village (5 projects), Ao Settsu (4 projects), Chungtiayimsen (3 projects), Khar (7 projects) and Longpa (3 projects) under four DRDA Blocks of Mokokchunhg district. Moalong, in his introductory note, asserted that Social Audit Unit is a government initiative to evaluate the implementation of a programme by comparing official records with ground realities. He added that the objective was to maintain transparency and accountability in implementation of programmes in order to control corruptions as well as improving implementation and create platform for systematic feedback to improve the schemes and programmes. Observer Ajit Kumar, in his remarks, requested stakeholders to maintain proper records of the projects as prescribed under MGNREGS guidelines. He lamented that even though the projects were implemented successfully, yet there are still rooms for improvement in data entry and record maintenance such as photographs and signboards. “MIS/ Muster Roll is the only proof that works is implemented successfully, however, if there is no signatures and error in data entry then how can we justify that the work is implemented? So please followed the guideline,” Kumar appealed the VDBs members and village councils. Kumar added that it is the responsibility of the VDBs and village councils to ensure that people are sensitised about MGNREGS social audit and public hearing. Meanwhile, Liboni Humtsoe, District Programme Coordinator MGNREGS & PD DRDA, Mokokchung, informed that misappropriate use of fund was not found during the audit except few data entry errors which were rectified. She said it was the first social audit and public hearing for Mokokchung district. She added that more villages will be covered in the next phase to maintain transparency and accountability. Some resolutions were adopted for better implementation of schemes.