The Jammu and Kashmir Society for Social Audit Accountability & Transparency (JKSSAAT) held its second governing body meeting under the chairmanship of its Chairperson, Ravi Kesar (former IFS). The meeting was aimed to review the performance, address key issues and strategise future initiatives of the social audit unit.
The meeting was attended by Principal Accountant General (PAG), J&K, K.P. Yadaw; Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad; Director Finance, Umar Khan; Additional Secretary, Waseem Raja; former Director General, Accounts and Treasuries, J&K, Dr. Mohammad Ishaq Wani; Former State Information Commissioner J&K, Professor Sudesh Kumar Sharma; Head of Centre for Rural Development & PR, IMPARD, J&K, Dr Reva Sharma and representatives of School Education and Social Welfare Departments.
The governing body discussed the ongoing activities and future plans of JKSSAAT, including performance of the Social Audit Unit in auditing various government schemes such as MGNREGA, PMAY(G), SBM(G) and PMAY(U). It appreciated the Social Audit Unit, J&K, for achieving complete coverage of Gram Panchayats (GPs) for the fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24, earning the Union Territory a top rank nationally.
The agenda also covered issues reported under MGNREGA including financial discipline, adherence to scheme guidelines and grievances. The governing body reviewed the progress in financial recoveries with a focus on transparency and accountability in implementation of various government initiatives.
Chairman, JKSSAAT, Ravi Kesar, appreciated the Social Audit Unit’s dedication, noting that they delivered outstanding results despite facing a manpower crunch. Secretary RDD, Aijaz Asad, appreciated the progress saying that by conducting thorough audits and engaging the community, the Social Audit Unit has enhanced the efficiency of public programs.
Assuring full support to SAU established under the scheme guidelines, he remarked that positive impact of the Social Audit Unit’s work is evident in better policy implementation and increased public trust in government initiatives. Principal Accountant General (PAG), J&K, K.P. Yadaw, emphasized the need to prioritize and clear the oldest social audit cases. He called for hiring additional manpower to support the unit’s growing responsibilities.
Director, Social Audit Unit, J&K, Shafia Naqshbandi, while presenting the performance overview of the unit, highlighted the key achievements and milestones for the current financial year. One of the major highlights of the presentation was the Social Audit Unit’s achievement of 100% Gram Panchayat (GP) coverage in the fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The SSAAT was informed that in order to strengthen the capacity of social audits, approximately 600 Village Resource Persons (VRPs) have been trained over the years across 20 districts. The meeting also discussed issues such as the staff structure of JKSAU, the proposed budget for FY 2025-26 and plans to extend the scope of social audits to centrally sponsored schemes being implemented by other departments.
The approval of a new project proposal for social audits, including the District Capex Plan and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, was also a key highlight of the meeting.