Relevance : GS Paper II
(Polity and Governance/Development and Welfare)
[700 words reduced to 200]
- Social audits lead to better outcomes of public programmes.
- Origin and evolution of social audits
- Social audits were first mandated by law in 2005 under MGNREGA.
- Subsequently, social audits were mandated in other areas as well.
- Social audit units (SAUs) have been established in 26 States .
- More than 5,000 full-time staff have been appointed and more than 4,000 people have been trained.
- Shortcoming in the social audits programme:
- Social audit units (SAUs) are not independent.
- States have not appointment of SAU’s director properly.
- Some States have conducted very few or no audit.
- Several states do not have adequate staff.
- States have responded to the social audit findings poorly.
- Adequate disciplinary action are not being taken.
- The way forward
- Funds to facilitate social audits of the NFSA.
- Independent governing body and adequate staff of SAUs.
- Prompt action on the social audit findings.
- A real time management information system for tracking.
- Mentoring and support
- Partnership of CAG with local citizens and audit societies
- As social audits are to extend to new areas, they must be implemented well.
