SOCIAL AUDIT-ROADMAP FOR EFFECTIVE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
26-27 JULY 2011
THEME OF THE WORKSHOP
PRESENTATION BY SHRI DHIRENDRA KRISHNA, WORKSHOP COORDINATOR
1. Social Audit arises from the empowerment of citizens to access public records by RTI Act 2005. In the Workshop on SOCIAL AUDIT ROADMAP FOR EFFECTIVE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY, we will consider practical measures for channelizing citizens right for improving the public administration. Several citizen groups are active in following up issues of public concern and in evaluating performance of various schemes. We will examine the lessons gained from success stories of social audit by citizens in MGNREGA, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, public distribution system, analysis of Government budget and evaluating performance of MLAs. This brief overview of citizen's initiatives would lead to practical and workable recommendations
2. Practical administrative problems arise in highly decentralized implementation of schemes of socio-economic development. Post-facto audit and vigilance is inadequate for preventing corruption and waste of public money. Active participation of the beneficiaries is essential for corrective actions by authorities controlling the schemes. "Social Audit" opens a new vista for democratic participation by the beneficiaries. Apart from being a continuous process of public vigilance, it enables direct public accountability of the instrumentalities of Government. Administrative measures for promoting Social Audit would be considered in the Workshop.
3. In the first technical session, we will consider the Government's initiatives to promote community participation and social audit. MGNREGA is the first organized effort to promote legally mandated Social Audit. We have a presentation from Ministry of Rural Development that would explain the basic features of Recent Gazette Notification that states that audit of MGNREGA schemes includes Social Audit. This is an important development and may effect institutionalized efforts to extend social audit in other areas. There is unique experience in Andhra Pradesh where a Society for Social Audit, Accountability and Transparency is being funded from the funds of MGNREGA. Ms Sowmya Kidambi, Director of the Society will explain Benefits arising from such arrangement. She has also prepared a paper on the subject, along with a Chartered accountant and made concrete suggestions for consideration of C&AG. Kerala has gone far ahead in democratic decentralization, with unique measures to promote public accountability . Shri Vijayanand Director Institute of Management in Government has been kind enough to come from Thiruvananthapuram to share his experiences and is also presenting a paper. These presentations would be followed by open house discussion, chaired by Shri T Sethumadhavan, Vice President IPAI.
4. Next session is about sharing experiences on success and impediments in Social Audit chaired by Dr B P Mathur, former Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General. Auditors, whether in public or private sector, face a major professional challenge of giving their comments on vast transactions on the basis of test check of limited areas. Resources available with auditors can never be enough to check each and every transaction. There is need for clearer understanding of this limitation. Social audit of MNGERA has become mandatory as the vast areas on implementation that are beyond the practical reach of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. We have Dr Amarjit Chopra, former President Institute of Chartered Accountant of India to explain professional challenge before the auditors. Satark Nagarik Sangathan has practical experience of social audit of public distribution system and has initiated performance evaluation of MLAs. Anjali Bharadwaj of Satarka Nagarik Sangathan will share her experiences and perspective. We have Yamini Aiyar from Accountability Initiative of the Centre for Policy Research to explain findings social audit of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and their review of budget. These presentations would be followed by open house discussion on practical measures to promote social audit.
5. Public auditors are expected to check the accounts for assurance that the accounts represent of true and picture. We have Dr Anand P Gupta, former Professor of IIM Ahmedabad, to explain the need for effective anti corruption measures in the development schemes. His presentation is entitled "Stopping the loot of public money" and I have worded it as "Anti-corruption measures in development schemes", as it looks somewhat better on paper. I have long associations with Dr Gupta and he has helped in Workshops on Corporate Governance conducted by me in the past. I hope he will pardon me for taking this liberty in view of our past associations; he has full academic autonomy to state his view point. Next speaker is Ms Anupama Jha Executive Director Transparency International India. Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International has been hitting the headlines in newspapers. In their anti-corruption crusade, they have also initiated social audit and she would share this experience. My apologies to Shri Nikhil Dey of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, for placing him at the end of the session. He has been to USA and as I was unable to contact him, my alternate plan was to show one of videos prepared by Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan to explain ground realities of how development schemes are implemented at village level and importance of social audit. I am happy that he is here. Shri Lalit Mathur, former Director General, National Institute of Rural Development Hyderabad, would chair last session. He has a very tough task of imposing time limits on the learned speakers, to enable discussions based on their presentations.
6. Tomorrow, Shri T K Sanyal, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General of India would chair the morning session. Shri Sanyal overseas audit of Panchayati Raj Institutions. His perspective is vital for considering the roadmap for promoting Social Audit, at the grass-root level. Gram Sabha plays a major role in institutionalized social audit of MGNREGA and therefore health of PRIs is essential for success of social audit at the grass-roots. Shri Amitabh Mukhopadhyay would explain salient features of report of the Task Group that has examined various features of interface between social audit and Indian Audit and Accounts Department. Ms Rukmini Banerji ASER Pratham will present her experiences on social audit of quality of education imparted by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. Internet Communities can facilitate dissemination of information, exchange of replicable success stories and debate on issues of common concern. Ms Tina Mathur is managing Decentralization Community of Solution Exchange, sponsored by UNDP. She has kindly agreed to help us in explaining practical working of this community for formulating "road-map" for promoting Social Audit.
7. Mrs. Shailaja Chandra former Chief Secretary Government of Delhi would chair last session. She was associated with implementing Bhagidari system and can throw light on practical measures for promoting citizen's involvement in improving governance processes. Ms Veerbala Joshi, Director of Social Audit, Government of Rajasthan will explain practical issues in implementing social audit in MGNREGA. She has also formally responded to some of the key issues in implementing social audit that has been placed in reading material before you. This would be followed by my presentation and there would be open house discussion. We plan to arrive at recommendations for Central Government State Government and C&AG, on the basis of deliberations in the Workshop.
8. Before concluding, I will like to briefly explain some of the reading material placed before you. I have prepared a preface, for your convenience. The report of Task Group on Social Audit is before you-this is a comprehensive document on the interface between C&AG and social audit. Directions of Central Information Commission regarding appointment of senior level officer as Transparency Officer in every public authority are placed before you. There was a murder of person conducting social audit in Jharkhand and Shri B.K.Sinha Secretary Ministry of Rural Development made an on-the spot study. His visit note highlights practical problems of social audit of MGNREGA and has been picked up from the web site for your kind consideration. Supplementary reading list has paper presented by Shri Vajayananda, Joint paper of Sowmya Kidambi and Vivek Ramkumar. I have also circulated papers that demonstrate excellent professional work by Pratham, ASER Centre, Peoples Assessment of Health Education and Livelihood appropriately termed as Paheli and simplified evaluation tools that enable social audit at large scale.
9. We are fortunate that two of the Members of recently appointed Audit Advisory Board are associated with this workshop: Smt Shailaja Chandra and Shri T Sethumadhavan. I regret missing out on an opportunity for inviting Ms Shabana Azmi, so that all of us could meet her. She runs a NGO inspired by following lines by her father late Kaifi Azmi. I will like recite them, as it fits well into the theme of this Workshop:
KOI TO SOOD CHUKAYE, KOI TO ZIMMA LE
US INQUALAB KA , JO AAJ TAK UDHAAR SA HAI.
10. Let me conclude by saying that social audit is a voluntary effort, by persons inspired by public spirit. We have to consider administrative measures to promote constructive involvement of citizens in improving public administration, while examining roadmap ahead for promoting social audit. Each one of us should realize that process initiated in 1947 is incomplete. Social Audit can usher in democratic governance in letter and spirit.
11. Ladies and Gentleman, this is the theme of the Workshop.
