A Training of Trainers Programme on ‘NREGS & Social Audit’ was organized by the Institute in collaboration with   DRDA Sirmour, from 18^th – 23^rd February, 2008 at Nahan. The programme drew a massive response and was attended by 65 participants consisting of elected representatives of PRIs, officers/officials of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Departments and local NGOs/CBOs. Resource persons from HIPA and PRIA (an NGO) provided classroom training as well as field exposure on NREGS & Social Audit with a view to implement the NREGS in an effective manner.

The programme was inaugurated by Sh. Pushpender Rajput, IAS, Deputy Commissioner Sirmour. Smt. Manju Sharma, Chairperson, Zila Parishad Sirmour was Guest of Honour in the inauguration function.

Deputy Commissioner, Sirmour in his inaugural address, flagged the message that Social Audit is not an  activity of finding faults in the implementation of schemes, rather it is a process of taking lessons for better implementation of schemes in future with participation of stakeholders.

Sh. Dinesh Malhotra, HAS, ADC Sirmour also interacted with the participants of the Programme and boosted their morale for effective implementation of the NREGA in the district. He also exhibited the calendar prepared by HIPA for NREGA advocacy which were distributed to them. 

Sh. Deva Singh Negi, HAS, Additional Director, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj specially visited Distt. Sirmour for this Programme discussed different aspects of NREGS & Social audit with the participants and accompanied them in the field for social audit.

As part of the programme, a mobilization campaign in selected gram Panchayats was organized by the participants under the guidance of resource persons and actual Social Audit of NREGA works was conducted in two Gram Panchayats viz Nawani (Jamta) in Nahan  Block and Puruwala  in Paonta Block by the participants who were divided in two teams for the purpose.

The two teams were further divided into three groups and each group was assigned the tasks of Community mobilization, data verification and physical verification of the community assets stated to be created in the Panchayat Area under NREGS. A special meeting of the Gram Sabhas was organized in both the Panchayats and the groups presented their detailed reports in the Gram Sabha in the special meeting convened for the purpose.