Jaya forms wing to audit NREGS payments, works

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday ordered setting-up of Social Audit Society of Tamil Nadu (SAST) to scrutinise the projects being undertaken under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) and the payments being made to the workers.

The CM also ordered creation of as many as 858 new posts to man the SAST. The new posts include a Director, two Joint Directors, one Assistant Director, one Social Audit expert, four State-level superintendents, 44 district resources officers and 770 block-level resources officers. 

Besides, 62,620 educated workers, who are on the rolls of the scheme, would be engaged in auditing the payment accounts and the works being undertaken in each village panchayat. Five persons from each village panchayat would be involved in this work for five days a year.

On June 23, the CM had hiked the daily wages for over 25 lakh rural workers enrolled under the NREGS, from `119 to `132 per day. The scheme is being implemented in all districts of Tamil Nadu. The objective of the scheme is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. 

Protecting water resources, implementing afforestation programmes, desilting lakes and ponds are some of the rural welfare works being undertaken under the scheme. 

After the AIADMK government assumed office in May 2011, the name of the post Village Panchayat Assistant was changed as Village Panchayat Secretary keeping in mind the key role played by them and a consolidated payment (`2,500-`5,000) and `500 as special allowance per month are being given.

Now, considering the fact that these Village Panchayat Secretaries should travel to the offices of their respective District Collector and other officials, they will be given `300 as travelling allowance per month.  This would benefit the 12,524 Village Panchayat Secretaries. 

The Chief Minister has already directed that `200 per month should be given as special allowance to those who are engaged in operating motors at the drinking water pumping stations in villages.