Dr. Thomas Isaac calls for an independent jury in social audit

The social audit of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme needs to be implemented with the assistance of an independent jury system to enhance its effectiveness, as emphasized by Dr. TM Thomas Isaac, former Finance Minister. He was inaugurating the workshop on Social Audit under MGNREGS at Pathanamthitta, organized by the Inter University Centre for Social Science Research and Extension of MG University on 23 February.

Social audit, initially integrated into People’s planning in Kerala, faces substantial challenges despite its initial widespread support, he noted. Isaac said that a crucial concern is the decline in public participation, even among people’s representatives who now find themselves in opposition. From 2006 to 2011, the government made significant interventions in treasury matters through social audit.  The recurring emphasis on the necessity for an independent jury system to expeditiously address disputes formed a cornerstone of his address. The successful narrative at the Walayar check post during his tenure served as a tangible illustration of the potential impact of such interventions.

Amidst the address, Dr. Isaac highlighted the challenges for Kerala – to craft a comprehensive social audit index, weaving together various social factors. The Walayar success story emerged as a testament to the transformative power such an index could wield, directly impacting the lives of the common populace.

Dr. N. Ramakanthan, the Social Audit Unit Director, called for a paradigm shift in the orientation towards social audits in gram panchayats. His cautionary note about a static approach compromising transparency and efficiency, potentially resulting in the loss of central assistance, reverberated through the workshop. The concern over non-representative social audits in gram panchayats added another dimension of complexity. Despite Kerala’s national eminence in social audits, the glaring gaps in transparency and efficiency in grassroots projects demanded attention. Dr. Ramakanthan underlined the necessity for substantial cooperation at the panchayat-block level to ensure the effective functioning of social audit officers. This cooperation, he highlighted, was often a missing link hindering the continuous execution of social audits.

Center Director K. M. Seethi presided. District Programme Coordinator K. G. Babu, Block Gram Panchayat People’s Representatives, and officials shared their perspectives. Sessions were led by Balamurali, Sabu Thomas, Ajay, Beefor, Sudeep, M. Thalhath, and Jubin Jacob.

This workshop, forming the fourth in a series contributing to a comprehensive report on social audits in different districts, was supported by the State Plan Fund.