Innovation, Transparency and Governance : A Study of NREGS in Andhra Pradesh

In a country like India, effectively monitoring and delivering a massive scheme like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), involving governance structures from top to bottom, is, indeed, a challenge. As such, certain leakages and loopholes in its implementation cannot be ruled out. However, with effective and innovative tools like e- governance, ICT, social audit etc., Andhra Pradesh government has been a pioneer in the implementation of NREGS effectively. All stages of NREGS work, from registration of workers to issue of job cards, preparation of work estimates, muster rolls and payments to workers have been computerised. Government of Andhra Pradesh developed an end-to-end MIS system through which job cards, work estimates and payment order are issued. While social audit is mandatory under NREGS, Andhra Pradesh government has put in place a system where an autonomous Society for Social Audit, Accountability and Transparency (SSAT), has institutionalised social audit of NREGS in such a way that it maximises government support but minimises its interference. The government of India has taken not only the social audit in A.P, but also its website as a model for evaluation. Even the administrative structure is also borrowed by some other States in India. The governance of NREGS in Andhra Pradesh and the way the State has been successful in ensuring transparency and accountability to a great extent in its implementation with the use of IT, e-governance and social audit has certainly made a difference.