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Improving the Public Expenditure Outcomes of the NREGS Through Social Accountability Interventions

Learn how citizen feedback and accountability interventions improved NREGS implementation in Sirohi district, Rajasthan, leading to behavioral and institutional changes.

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Improving the Public Expenditure Outcomes of the NREGS Through Social Accountability Interventions

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  1. Improving the Public Expenditure Outcomes of the NREGS Through Social Accountability Interventions Presenters: George Cheriyan / Om Prakash Arya December 17, 2009

  2. Context • NREGA enacted on August 25, 2005 & based on this NREGS stared as pilot in 200 most backward districts on Feb. 2, 2006 • Government had plan to scale up NREGS in whole country based on pilot results • Huge public money was to be incurred after scaling up and proper utilization was a concern • NREGA significantly shows Commitment to transparency and accountability and gives citizen a central role at every stage • Accountability tools like Social Audit & RTI Act are integrated in the NREGA

  3. Context… • Implementation in letter and spirit was a challenge • Government was very keen to get feedback from the field to amend the loopholes in guideline while scaling up • Problem: Unavailability of feedback from wage seekers/ villagers on the implementation • Accountability Intervention: Citizen’s Assessment of implementation of NREGS in Sirohi district of Rajasthan • Process & Tools: CRC was used for getting user feedback on the implementation (Q n Q) and CSC to extract accountability and responsiveness from service providers .

  4. Summary of Process of change • State and District administration were informed about the project since its beginning • Collection of feedback through CRC and its strategic dissemination at various levels and creation of a platform for interface between wage seekers and service providers through CSC • This intervention has led to a series of -Behavior changes among NREGS stakeholders-wage seekers, field supervisors, local government -Institutional changes at various levels of government

  5. Case

  6. Behavioral Changes Among Wage Seekers • Increased level of eagerness to be aware about entitlements as per provisions of NREGA • Enhanced information on various aspects of sanctioned works under NREGS, such as budget, costs for materials and wages • More courage to the beneficiaries to openly express their concerns such as -The process of work measurement, lack of a quick grievance redress system -The antagonistic behavior of field supervisors work towards beneficiaries

  7. Behavioral Changes Among Wage Seekers • Wage seekers also openly questioned service providers about these concerns which was a substantial behavior shift on the part of them • Realization about the need to participate in the decision making process and as result increased participation in the meetings of Gram Shabha

  8. Behavioral Changes Among Service Providers • Lower local government functionaries and elected representatives understood for the first time that they were also considered as ‘service providers’ and had clear responsibilities under NREGS • Local government and field supervisors were sensitized towards problems in NREGS Service delivery and develop more responsive management processes and systems • Realization of the fact that the service providers are answerable to their actions and decisions, and hence has to be accountable to the people

  9. Institutional Changes • Increased initiatives to recruit and train female field supervisors • Removal of intermediary agency between the government and contractual staff • Establishment of Task Forceto explore more comprehensive and effective possibilities of convergence with NREGA • Broadened scope for social accountability approaches in other government departments • Regular open training for NREGS beneficiaries and capacity building of field supervisors on work measurement standards

  10. Limitations • Weak Institutions and Procedures • Low capacity of civil society, media and rural people • Inconsistent strategies • Overlapping roles and responsibilities • Significantly skill shortage • File is on move

  11. Overall Investment • The NREGS budget for Sirohi was Rs 757 million (about US$18 million) for the year 2007–08 • CUTS’ accountability intervention costs approximately Rs 1.26 million (US$30,000) which represents less than 1 percent of the total district budget for NREGS in Sirohi • The cost to do one CSC, on one of the selected service deliveries in a Garm Panchayat, was only Rs. 15,000 (US$ 357) • In the absence of an institutionalized social audit process, a small investment in an accountability intervention can precipitate a series of behavior and institutional changes to improve the implementation of large-scale, national flagship welfare schemes like NREGS

  12. Thank You !

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