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Social audit of MGNREGA - A panacea or a placebo? Issues and ways forward in Karnataka

Author

Listed:
  • Sanjiv Kumar
  • S Madheswaran

    (Institute for Social and Economic Change)

Abstract

This paper mainly addresses the question whether a competent, capable, and independent SAU (Social Audit Unit) existed in Karnataka with adequate human capacity building and financial resources and capacities capable to fulfill the aspirations of an effective social audit using primary and secondary data. Results show that social audit in MGNREGA, identified as a potential tool, has not been put to use by the authorities. SAU and their team have put their heart and soul and brought out meaningful reports with very pertinent and critical findings about misappropriation, financial deviation or non-compliance with important statutory and non-negotiable features of the scheme, but they have not been acted upon. The state has remained a silent spectator to the operation of ‘Shadow State’ and consequent leakages and programme distortion. In the absence of a credible enforcement and follow-up mechanism, and lack of exercise of ‘will’ of the establishment, the vast repertoire of pertinent findings of the social audit have remained decorative festoons hanging on the MGNREGA web portal. Clearly, this potentially versatile tool, capable of being a panacea, has remained a placebo. The policy implications and suggestions are highlighted for improving the efficacy of the programme.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:sch:wpaper:457
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    File URL: http://www.isec.ac.in/WP%20457%20-%20Sanjiv%20Kumar%20and%20Madheswaran%20-%20final.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Manjula, R. & Rajasekhar, D., 2015. "Participation of scheduled caste households in MGNREGS: Evidence from Karnataka," Working Papers 339, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.
    2. Speer, Johanna, 2012. "Participatory Governance Reform: A Good Strategy for Increasing Government Responsiveness and Improving Public Services?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(12), pages 2379-2398.
    3. Raabe, Katharina & Birner, Regina & Sekher, Madhushree & Gayathridevi, K.G. & Shilpi, Amrita & Schiffer, Eva, 2010. "How to overcome the governance challenges of implementing NREGA," IFPRI discussion papers 963, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Nidhi Vij, 2011. "Collaborative Governance: Analysing Social Audits in MGNREGA in India," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(6), pages 28-34, November.
    5. Salim Lakha & Durgam Rajasekhar & Ramachandra Manjula, 2015. "Collusion, Co-option and Capture: Social Accountability and Social Audits in Karnataka, India," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(3), pages 330-348, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sanjiv Kumar & S. Madheswaran & B. P. Vani, 2020. "Ad Hoc Rationing, Capacity Bias, Information Asymmetry and Elite Capture of MGNREGA in Karnataka: Policy Perspectives on Poverty and Regional Balance," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 63(3), pages 741-763, September.

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