THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The best way to save a project is to make its beneficiaries responsible for it. At least that was the idea of the previous LDF Government when it mooted the formation of village-level social audit officers for the transparent implementation of NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) in the state. The new government has also decided to go forward with the idea and has included the formation of village-level audit officers in 14 districts in the Chief Minister’s 100-day action programme. Young women, mostly plus-II passed or graduates, coming from the homes of those women who have worked for the most number of days in the NREGS scheme in their panchayat, are being selected for the role of village-level social audit officers. That they should be socially-committed and aware is one of the eligibility criteria. With the coming of village-level officers, the panchayat officials and mates will have a monitoring group above them and would be answerable to the way a NREGS project is implemented in their area. It is the Social Audit Cell of NREGS, formed during the final year of the previous government to bring transparency into the project, that spearheads the new move. It had piloted a social audit in Vilappil grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram three months ago which revealed shocking findings. The way funds were diverted by an unholy nexus of panchayat officials, mates and project officers was the prime finding. It had brought out numerous bogus transactions and exploitation of women in the NREGS scheme by mates and panchayat officials. It was even found that a gold bangle was presented to a panchayat president by the mates in the assumption that the former was responsible for granting them jobs and wages.Following the experience in Vilappil, the state-level performance audit cell has formed village-level social audit officers in Puthusseri in Palakad and Kodassery in Thrissur. "Since it has been included in the 100-day programme, we are in the process of selecting one panchayat from each district where the village-level social audit officers would be recruited,’’ said S Divakaran Pillai, State Performance Audit Officer.It is a team of resource persons (which includes the participation of socially-committed voluntary organisations) which undertakes the training of village-level social audit officers along with the NREGS cell. However, setting up well-equipped resource teams in such a short time in 14 districts will be a hard nut to crack.
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