Independent agency to assess NREGA implementation in Meghalaya
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government is contemplating creation of an independent agency for social audit to assess the various Central flagship programmes being implemented in the State.
Initially, the Government is planning to create this independent agency to assess the implementation of the MGNREGS in the State.
The decision to prepare a social audit manual specifically for the rural job scheme was taken at a workshop held on Thursday between various government departments and heads of districts.
As a preliminary move, the Government would first come up with a draft manual on social audit to streamline the assessment on the implementation of the MGNREGA within February 15 next.
With controversies rallying around the implementation of MGNREGS especially those related to financial misappropriation, the social audit manual is a felt-need to have uniformity in the appraisal of the scheme, a senior government official said.
When asked if there is consideration to create such independent agencies for social audit in other Centre flagship programmes, he replied in the negative, while adding that it would be considered as a future proposal.
To improve the competence of social auditing, the government has two options – engagement of NGOs and the other is to follow the Andhra Pradesh model of having a separate independent directorate.
“We will try to put in place the Andhra Pradesh model with certain modifications to suit Meghalaya,” the official added.
It may be mentioned that there have been several allegations of financial misappropriation in the implementation of the MGNREGA in the State ever since the flagship scheme was launched in 2006.