But all good ideas and paradigms require to be constantly reviewed, refined, reformed and made relevant. One of the more innovative features of the NREGS is the provision of a social audit by local groups and communities. Such audits if conducted efficiently can both create wider awareness about these programmes and flag corruption and inefficiencies. A recent exercise in Hardoi, UP, for instance, underlined the lethargy of the local administration. Another in Madhya Pradesh revealed an invidious corruption, with even the engineers sent to evaluate these projects demanding commissions from sarpanches. The process of social auditing, with the help of information technologies, needs to be mainstreamed and assisted, so that every district covered by the NREGS is under constant and unremitting scrutiny and is seen to be so.

So don’t take your eye off the ball. The most important welfare programme of 2006 must gain relevance in 2007.