From Cosmas Sangma
Dobu-Songsak: Sanselin Momin and Wenish Arengh are two Garo elderly mothers with five children who have very little in common other than their bpl status and place of residence;Dobu village of East Garo Hills. For ages they have depended on the Public Distribution System to avail subsidized rice, sugar and kerosene to run their households.
Little did they know that they were being swindled of their savings and benefits by paying a much higher price for a smaller quantity of ration all these years due to unscrupulous dealers who were pocketing the money even as government officials turned a blind eye to it all.
That is now history as both women, like the rest of the village, have become more aware of their rights and entitlements thanks to the arrival of Social Audit which has brought in transparency and accountability.
Both Sanselin and Wenish now get the alloted ration under their BPL card and at a much lower cost.
It isn’t everyday such a transformation takes place. But in a land marked by failed schemes and scams, certain success stories are like the silver linings in the otherwise grey skyline.
And Social Audit is one such revolution which offers a tentative hope that, given committed officials and a vigilant administration, even the needs of the improvised are met.
It all came about with the establishment of The Meghalaya Community Participation and Public Services Social Audit Act of 2017 which was passed by the state assembly in its last budget session.
Dobu village, comprising of Dobu Cherasu, Dobu Wenokbibra and Dobu Anchengbok, was one among a handful of villages in the state that was selected as a pilot project for social audit. There are approximately 240 households in the entire Dobu village.
The entire exercise in public probity opened up a hornet’s nest revealing the handiwork of dishonest suppliers and an apathetic government both hand in glove in hindering the reach of basic amenities to the people.
The public distribution system was a failure as dealers were charging Rs 5 per kg of rice (instead of Rs 3) and only providing four kgs when each beneficiary was entitled to five kilograms of rice. Kerosine oil was irregular and whatever was supplied was done at a cost of eight rupees extra.
The Angandadi centre of the Integrated Child Development Scheme had collapsed many years back with no restoration whatsoever and ASHA health workers have been functioning for years without any training provided to them.
Even school students were suffering as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan materials including text books were in short supply.
The Mid-Day Meal programme was flawed as the students name in the format did not match with the school register. Water bodies are aplenty in and around Dobu village but no government scheme for proper drinking water has been taken up since 2000.
Sanitation was clearly the biggest loser in the village with not a single toilet having been constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission even though the government has been releasing funds to every block and state in the country.
The introduction of Social Audit has helped to rectify some of the lapses unearthed during the first hearing in November. Department officials, dealers and villagers faced one another in the public meeting where the aggrieved beneficiaries narrated one ordeal after another about lack of government facilities.
When Commissioner and Secretary of the Meghalaya Community and Rural Development department, Mr P Sampath Kumar visited Dobu village this January 28th he was greeted with warm smiles by villagers who informed him about the dramatic changes that have taken place in the PDS system.
“We are now getting rice at Rs 3 a kg and the entire quantity of five kgs and the dealer has to now display our entitlements outside his fair price shop,” say both Sanselin Momin and Wenish Arengh.
As for the kerosene oil dealer who was making a killing in selling the product at exorbitant rates, he has since resigned.
There is also some good news for school children who are now getting adequate supply of school uniforms, shoes and textbooks.
“Since social audit there has been much improvement. Previously, many applied for BPL cards but never received it. This time the department has informed us that more new members under BPL and APL and AEY will get included,” says Starson N Sangma (52) president of the Job Card holders of Dobu Wenokbibra.
The core of the Bill is to review delivery of public services and implementation of government schemes and programmes through a participatory social audit by government and the stakeholders. This is to be followed by a timely review and concurrent course correction in the delivery of schemes and programmes to ensure development reaches one and all.
“For the success of the Social Audit a follow up action is being done and this action taken report will require to be submitted by the departments to the Social Audit Council,” says Commissioner P Sampath Kumar.
Clearly, a democracy as challenging as ours needs watch dogs to make it more accountable and social auditing is one such vigilant enterprise that could help make accountability an essential prerequisite for disbursal agencies.
