CIVIC was asked by Nikhil Dey of MKSS and Rakshita Swamy of the Social Accountability Resource Unit to initiate a dialogue with Mr. Manivannan I.A.S , Labour Secretary, GoK on conducting a Social Audit of the Building & Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, as directed by the Supreme Court, based on the social audit guidelines issued by the CAG.

CIVIC is going to work with CFAR (Center For Advocacy and Research) to conduct the social audit in the 5 wards where CFAR is working in Bangalore.

A preliminary meeting was held between 12 pm and 2 pm on the 19th of February, at VishrantiNilaya, which was attended by leaders of several unions and NGOs working with construction workers. Mr. Paras Banjara of MKSS presented the findings of the pilot social audits that had been conducted in the areas of Beawar and Bhim in Rajasthan.

In the afternoon at 3:30, the full delegation met MrManivannan at the Kalyana Suraksha Bhavan in the presence of the secretary of the board. Mr. Nikhil Dey and Rakshita Swamy explained to them the protocol to be followed for conducting the social audit and requested them to have a dialogue with all the unions and NGOs in designing the framework for the social audit.