CB BureauIn an interaction with media representatives in Imphal,
capital of Manipur, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh turned the
spotlight on state governments for failing to implement social audits of key
welfare schemes, several of these with an outlay of millions of dollars.
In Manipur to examine and evaluate the implementation of
government’s flagship programmes in the state, the minister said, ‘Social audit
must be done every year by every village council. It is not being done. It is
not being done not just in Manipur, it has not been done anywhere in the
country except in Andhra Pradesh. No state in India has taken social audit
seriously and Manipur is not an exception. I have requested them that they must
ensure social audit is done by the village council, by the community, by the
village authority. Social audit must be done.’
During his Manipur visit, Ramesh assured the state government
of an array of financial support for development initiatives. Underscoring the
need to strengthen road connectivity in Manipur, he said, ‘We must ensure that
rural road connectivity programme. It may take four years because the working
season in Manipur is only five months or six months. It may take four years. We
are determined to complete it in the next three to four years. This year, we
have sanctioned Rs 666 crores, and if more money is required, we will sanction
more money. Money is not the problem for Manipur. That is why it is called
Manipur.’
Lauding Manipur’s stellar performance in the implementation
of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Ramesh
said: ‘I want to compliment Manipur. Like you have the CBSE topper this year,
in NREGA also you are the topper. The number of days for which guaranteed
employment was provided in Manipur last year (2011-2012) was 80, whereas the all-India
number was only 45.’