SHILLONG, AUG 25: The Meghalaya government on Tuesday said it conducted over 69,000 social audits last year, taking the total to over 4.19 lakh audits in eight years.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told the Assembly that 7,724 issues were reported in the last three years, of which 724 have been resolved with action taken reports made public.
In his supplementary reply, Sangma said the state has gone beyond the Centre’s mandate by enacting the Meghalaya Community Participation and Social Audit Act in 2017.
“What started with MGNREGS under MSAT (Meghalaya Society for Social Audit and Transparency) now covers 13 more schemes — including food and civil supplies, education, POSHAN, fisheries’ Blue Revolution, power and health,” he said.
He said reports are sent to concerned departments for action against implementing agencies and 1,491 reports have been uploaded online.
“We budget close to Rs 5 crore every year from the state’s own funds for this. It is a well-balanced process with beneficiaries involved,” the CM said.
Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma, under whose tenure the Act was passed, said the legislation was lauded nationally as a model for real-time transparency through community participation, but course correction was needed.
“The idea was real-time auditing for course correction during implementation, not just penal action. I am disturbed by the way it is being implemented,” Mukul said, seeking a review to realign approach.
“Yes, it was a meaningful step taken during his time as CM and the first of its kind in the country. I will review it personally to ensure the desired outcome,” the Chief Minister responded.
Earlier, C&RD Minister Sosthenes Sohtun said 17 schemes are currently audited and four cases of financial irregularities were detected, but details would require separate notice, prompting VPP MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit to allege the minister came unprepared.
