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Collaborative Governance: Analysing Social Audits in MGNREGA in India

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  • Nidhi Vij

Abstract

In the history of social protection programmes in India, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is the most expansive and ambitious programme ever. In 2009/10 alone, over 380 billion rupees (US$8 billion) were spent to employ over 50 million households under this scheme. To oversee such expansive coverage, an elaborate monitoring and evaluation system has been enshrined in the law. It was also realised that non‐state actors need to be included in the monitoring process for collective accountability and ensuring transparency. Social audits are unique collaborative governance mechanisms which are not only participatory programme evaluation exercises but also lead to empowerment of the poor. They are a platform for the vulnerable to raise their ‘voice’ and assert their ‘rights’; to hold the administration accountable and assume collective responsibility, thereby potentially transforming social protection to social justice. This article analyses the social audit framework from a policy design perspective, in light of field reports and recent changes in the rules and aims, to unravel why, despite the merits, it is not yet the ‘magic silver bullet’ for poverty alleviation.

Suggested Citation

  • Nidhi Vij, 2011. "Collaborative Governance: Analysing Social Audits in MGNREGA in India," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(6), pages 28-34, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:idsxxx:v:42:y:2011:i:6:p:28-34
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/idsb.2011.42.issue-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Sanjoy Singh & Satish Modi & Raj Maurya, 2023. "Assessing the Effectiveness of MGNREGA’s Social Audits and Training in Madhya Pradesh," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(10), pages 491-500, October.
    2. Sanjiv Kumar & S Madheswaran, 2019. "Social audit of MGNREGA - A panacea or a placebo? Issues and ways forward in Karnataka," Working Papers 457, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.
    3. Akerkar, Supriya & Joshi, P.C. & Fordham, Maureen, 2016. "Cultures of Entitlement and Social Protection: Evidence from Flood Prone Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 46-58.
    4. Dutta, Sujoy, 2015. "An uneven path to accountability: A comparative study of MGNREGA in two states of India," Discussion Papers, Inequality and Social Policy SP I 2015-201, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    5. Feba Varghese & N C Narayanan & S B Agnihotri & Girija Godbole, 2019. "Transparency, Accountability and Participation through Social Audit: Case of MGNREGA in Sikkim, India," Proceedings of the 13th International RAIS Conference, June 10-11, 2019 015FV, Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies.

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