NREGP needs more transparency: Aruna Roy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Noted social activist Aruna Roy has said that there is a need for ensuring more transparency in the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP). She told a news conference here on Saturday that many states were reluctant to conduct an independent social audit to monitor works under the NREGP. “A number of states are reluctant to set up an independent social auditing system to monitor the works. Setting up of such a system will ensure transparency and check corruption in the implementation of works under NREGP to a great extent,” she said.Aruna pointed out that a Rs 100-crore fraud in the scheme had been exposed in Andhra Pradesh, where the State Government had constituted an Independent Social Auditing system. She said that there was good awareness on NREGP among people in the country, but still, it did not become a ‘demand-based employment programme’ as envisaged under the Act. Aruna Roy, leader of the Mazdoor Kissan Shakti Sangathan, said that a campaign with a slogan  ‘Demand for Work’ would be launched soon across the country. Expressing her concerns over the increase in the number of RTI activists being killed in the country, she demanded the government to take urgent steps to prevent such incidents and provide protection to the ‘whistleblowers.’ On the Lok Pal Bill, she said that there was consensus among those fighting for a strong Lok Pal Bill.