The Rajasthan government has recently announced its decision to establish a specialised social and performance audit authority, a unique initiative aimed at conducting comprehensive social audits of various public schemes. This article will delve into the significance of this decision, provide an overview of what a social audit entails, present the challenges faced, and discuss the way forward.
The Significance of Rajasthan Government’s Recent Decision
The creation of this authority symbolises a commitment to public accountability, transparency, and citizen participation in the implementation of government schemes, programs, and services. Several important responsibilities fall under its purview.
Firstly, it will carry out performance assessments of agencies responsible for implementing these initiatives. Second, the authority will evaluate the quality of service delivery by these programs and conduct people satisfaction surveys to measure the effectiveness of different schemes. Lastly, it will be tasked with planning, conducting, and finalising social and performance audits of government departments, undertakings, schemes, and activities across Rajasthan.
Task of Identifying and Building Capacity of Civil Services Organisation
The new authority will provide technical assistance to enhance the effectiveness of various schemes and programmes. It will also provide support to the finance and planning department to strengthen annual plans and outcome budgeting. One of its critical roles includes assessing the quality standards of development and infrastructure works in rural and urban areas.
Understanding Social Audit
Social Audit is a collective process where governmental and non-governmental entities review a scheme, primarily involving those directly affected by the program or its beneficiaries. It differs from financial audits, which focus on inspecting and assessing documents related to financial transactions to provide a clear picture of an organisation’s profits, losses, and financial stability. For instance, under the MGNREGA, all works must undergo a social audit to check on factors like infrastructure quality, wage-related misappropriations, and any procedural breaches.
Social Audit and Its Challenges
The implementation of social audits faces several challenges. The lack of administrative and political will in institutionalising these audits to combat corruption results in many audits being influenced by implementing agencies. Social audit units often struggle to access primary records for verification due to resistance and intimidation. People’s participation remains minimal, largely due to inadequate education, awareness, and capacity building among the masses. Furthermore, there is no independent agency to investigate and act on social audit findings.
Recommended Measures
To overcome the challenges, citizens groups must advocate for strengthened social audits and hold political executives and implementing agencies accountable. It is suggested that a team of social audit experts should be established in each district, responsible for training members of the social audit committee. Training programmes on social auditing methods, report preparation, and presentation at Gram Sabha should also be implemented. Additionally, the system of social audits requires endorsement and promotion from multiple authorities to establish an institutionalised framework resistant to vested interests.
