ZIRO, Jul 30: A two-day district level sensitisation programme on Social Audit for the Rural Development (RD) Department and Panchayati Raj functionaries & PRI members of Lower Subansiri district got underway at the DC’s conference hall, Hapoli today.
Underscoring the importance of social audit, Deputy Commissioner Somcha Lowang, in her inaugural address, said that social audits of all the Govt programmes implemented at grassroots level provides a feedback mechanism from the beneficiaries through site inspections and interactions with the beneficiaries for adopting corrective measures. This creates a sense of ownership amongst the villagers as well, she added.
The DC exhorted all the elected PRI members and officers to avail maximum benefit from the training, while noting that social audit ensures transparency, participation and accountability and helps in evaluating the performance of the schemes. Attending the training, ZPC Likha Sangchhore requested all her colleagues to actively participate in the all-important training.
Course coordinator from SIRD, SW Bagang also highlighted the importance of social audit. “It empowers the local community to audit a government programme, generates awareness amongst the community to take ownership of public properties and provides justice for being deprived by government functionaries,” Bagang added.
Citing manpower shortage in the SIRD, he exhorted the PRI members to be the eyes and ears of the Institute through regular social audits.
The training will be divided into two parts - technical sessions and field visits at nearby BDO offices. In the technical sessions, social audit process & social audits for MGNREGS, PMAY, FFC, NSAP, etc at Gram Panchayat, block and district levels, good governance in administration of various developmental schemes will be covered. As a part of the field exercise, mock social audit by Gram Sabhas will be held to acclimatize the newly-elected PRI members with the process of social audit.
Among others, DRDA PD Neelam Teji, Circle Officers cum Member Secretaries, ZPMs and officials of RD and Panchayati Raj Deptts attended the inaugural programme. (DIPRO)