Information-Monitoring, Evaluation, and Social Audit (I-MESA): Social Audit
Category: Social welfare & Empowerment
Level: Central | State: All
Ministry: Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment

Details:
The scheme "Information, Monitoring, Evaluation and Social Audit (I-MESA)" was launched by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), Govt. of India. The "Social Audit" component of the scheme aims to ensure that the implementation of the schemes at the ground level shall be examined intensely, ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation of these programmes. The social audit process involves examining and assessing a programme/scheme with the active involvement of people, comparing official records with actual ground realities, and consolidating issues backed by evidence into a report. The scheme is implemented by Social Audit Units set up in every state under MGNREGA, facilitated by the National Resource Cell for Social Audits-DoSJE established at the National Institute of Social Defence, New Delhi.

Benefits:
Bringing to light gaps and lapses in programme implementation for improvement.
Creating awareness generation regarding the programmes being implemented.
Providing a platfm for mutual dialogue among various stakeholders for scheme improvement.
Providing a platform for right holders for timely grievance redressal.
Ensuring transparency and accountability in scheme implementation.
Seeking responses from primary stakeholders based on ground realities for course correction and policy framework impact.
Promoting people’s participation in all stages of programme implementation.
Conditions
The cost of conduct of social audits will be met from the respective scheme’s administrative cost.
Funds shall be given to Social Audit Units through the National Institute of Social Defence, New Delhi, based on budgets calculated and reviewed by the National Resource Cell for Social Audits.
The first installment (50% of the total budget) is provided after the submission of the social audit calendar.
The second tranche will be provided after completion of all audits, uploading of findings, and preparation of the annual analytical report.


Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant must have experience of working with the Social Audit Unit for at least 2 to 3 years.
- The applicant must have experience facilitating social audits of schemes apart from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
- The team Coordinator leading the team must preferably have completed a 30 days’ certificate course on social accountability and social audit.
- The applicant must ensure the representation of the Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes community and the especially abled in the team.
- The team must preferably comprise 50% women members.

##### ***Desirable Criteria***

- The applicant should have experience working with the elderly, children, victims of substance abuse, and experience working in rehabilitative institutions.
- Anganwadi workers, Accredited Social Health Activists, Civil Society Organization representatives, or para-legal volunteers working in that area can be included in the team for community support and mobilization.
- Students/Interns from academic institutions can be engaged as members of the Social Justice Cell after being trained.