Dear Editor,
Abdul Haq Khan, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister , while reviewing Rural Development Schemes in Kashmir Division has rightly emphasised on the role of Gram Sabha and emphasised on organising meetings of Gram Sabha on regular basis so as to achieve the goals defined under the MGNAREGA Act notified on 7th Sept, 2005. It is a demand driven scheme as such Gram Sabha has to perform the role of principal forum for wage seekers to raise their voice and make demands. Gram Sabha has the following rights and responsibilities under the Act-
i. It recommends works to be taken up and is the final authority to determine the order of priority in which works will be initiated under MGNAREGA.
ii. Monitor the execution of works within the Gram Panchayat (GP).
iii. It is the primary forum for conduct of social audits. It provides a platform to all residents to seek and obtain all relevant information from all the implementing agencies including GP in relation to MGNAREGA works implemented in GP area.
The role assigned to the Gram Sabha is of great importance to achieve quality out put for the execution of need based rural works for employment generation of 100 days for identified wage seekers. Gram Sabha be organised as per prescribed time scheme and ensuring that majority of members of the Sabha participate and views expressed by them are properly heard, debated and changes in the identified works made, if necessary. Transparency will help a lot in obtaining desired results of this scheme.
The social audit is another important tool to get full facts of the execution of works plan by ersonnel interaction with the village community for physical and financial out put including quality of works done.
The instructions of the minister needs to be implemented seriously in all blocks of the State and this action will help in long way to get results as per our aim under the programme in the villages. Monitoring system in this regard envisaged in the Act may also be operative for proper outcome.
Our NGO namely J and K Panchayati Raj and Rural Area Welfare Society is also contributing in this project by organisation of village awareness programmes on regular basis.
D. P Khajuria,
President,
J and K Panchayati Raj and Rural Areas Welfare Society,
Jammu.
