Society for Social Audit, Accountability and Transparency

Department of Rural Development Government of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

What is a Social Audit What is a Social Audit Participatory process - community

members monitor implementation of government programs in their community

Social audit complements financial audit

FA = Was the money spent correctly?SA = Did the spending make a

difference?

Powerful tool for social transformation

Why is Social Audit Why is Social Audit Important?Important?

Social Audit in Andhra Pradesh Social Audit in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – Incubation- and Telangana – Incubation- 2006-20082006-2008 Began as a project of Strategies

Performance Innovations Unit (Rural Development) under administrative reforms programme.

No previous social audit experience, however had the will to walk a new path

In Feb 2006, pilot social audit was conducted on NFFW in 3 villages with the help of MKSS under reform action plan

Pilot process demonstrated effectiveness of social audit process

Systematic identification & training of facilitators in each district

Rules for Social Audit passed through the State Legislative Assembly

Village Social Auditor (VSA) concept promoted

Institutionalization over 8 Institutionalization over 8 yearsyearsBuilding up cadre of VSAs (more than 2

lakh people trained)Grading Constant monitoring Opportunities to move up

Building up DRPs – 1,000 Capacity building wing in SSAATConvergence with APARD (SIRD)IT-Data analytics: identify red zones

5

SPIU-RD wound up in 2009- SSAAT established

SSAAT is an independent Society

Established by the Department of RD in 2009

Facilitates Social Audit of MGNREGS

Trained cadre of facilitators & VSAs

0.5% of the MGNREGS budget set aside for SA

Independent of the Implementing Agency

SSAAT – Systematization -SSAAT – Systematization -2009 - 20122009 - 2012

AP Promotion of Social AP Promotion of Social Audit & Prevention of Audit & Prevention of corrupt practices Act corrupt practices Act 20122012Land mark Act SA recognized as compulsory statutory

process Offences proved in SA brought under

criminal law ◦Special mobile courts established ◦Summary trial in villages◦Punishments up to 2 years

So far there have been 9 convictions 7

Mobilizing Political will Mobilizing Political will The Prl. Secy convinced the CM that it was an

essential tool of efficiency, delivery, and peoples feedback. He also firmly established the administrative mandate.

CM was convinced that it was one of the best ways to ensure programs met development and political promises. His office directly monitored the progress

Logic given:◦ Distancing of Govt from irregularities is good

politics ◦ Can establish credibility and even help win

elections ◦ Chance to interact with large number of people◦ Awareness and Publicity for the programs

8

Administrative will Administrative will  Complete backing by the top level officials

SSAAT as independent unit outside the main stream

Combination of diktats and a constant sensitization,

Intense handholding Efforts to bring in the various stake

holders Constant bridge building between

administration and civil society activists

9

Process of Social AuditProcess of Social Audit Youth from the stakeholder families identified Trained in reading Scheme related records All records are provided by the administration to the

trained youth Youth go in groups to every village

Verify every work with reference to records Verify every payment with reference to pay orders

with individual beneficiaryPrepare and read out report in Gram Sabha

All GP reports are read out at a Public Hearing – Block Level chaired by the Project Director

Proposed action on each grievance and complaint announced and recorded publicly – through a separate vigilance wing, reports hosted on website

Prosecution in all serious cases under the Act through a special Court held in the village by First Class Judicial Magistrate

Social Audit – Important Social Audit – Important milestonesmilestonesPolitical and Administrative commitment

and willIndependent functioning of SA SocietyFull access to all information prior to

social audit, with enough time for assimilation and verification

Trained Resource Persons to facilitate the process

Obligation on officials to be present and answer queries

Outcomes must have legally sanctioned implications.

Creating an enabling atmosphere

SA – Some figuresSA – Some figures

Sl.No Details

AP(Till Dec’

2014)

Telangana (Till Nov

2014)

Total

1Financial and Non Financial Deviation Amount found by Social Audit team in 7 rounds 601.15 558.11 1159.26

2Total amount covered by Financial and non-financial Deviation accepted by Government 120.1 111.89 231.99

3Amount determined as misappropriated

52.35 51.56 103.91

4 Amount to be finalized 50.44 44.17 94.61

5 Amount recovered 18.72 15.93 34.65

6 Balance to be recovered 33.63 35.62 69.25

7 No of employess suspended 542 1,508 2050

8 No of employess removed 4,990 2,309 7,299

9 Punishment Imposed 21,378 15,175 36,553

10. No. of FIRs lodged 68 213 281

11No. of convictions

09

Collaboration established in AP Collaboration established in AP & TS& TS

Synergy with the AG’s Office in AP & TS –

Exception Reports –

Trainings to promote cross – learning

Joint field visits

Formal collaboration between social

audit and AG office in terms of sharing

reports

13

Synergy outcomesSynergy outcomesNational Resource Centre for Social

Audit to support other States The NRCSA to have resources to fund

pilots Help other SAUs in identifying Ensuring independence Doing good trainings, sharing training

facilities, Working together on manual, rules,

etc Sharing each others reports Monitoring the efficacy of social audit

and auditing the social auditors Developing Exception Reports