Social audit of midday meal, other edu schemes on cards

PANAJI: Goa govt has informed the Union education ministry, during the annual review of the implementation of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), that the state has engaged an external agency to carry out a social audit of schemes under the SSA programme.
The ministry officials have directed the state to undertake the audit expeditiously.
Goa was first asked by the Union ministry to conduct a social audit in 2020-21.Central govt is encouraging states and UTs to carry out a social audit of the midday meal scheme and other programmes under the SSA. The idea is to gauge the impact of the schemes, create awareness and to promote a sense of ownership of the scheme among the community.
Goa attempted the social audit through GIPARD last year, and this year, it is set to be carried out by the Home Science College at Campal and the Multipurpose Institute at Borda. The social audit entails collective monitoring of a scheme by people’s active involvement.
“It brings about transparency and accountability in govt schemes. It strengthens decentralised governance,” central govt has stated.
Due to the tardy response from states to carry out the audit, the ministry has said it will now be reviewing the progress of the audit on a half-yearly basis, in which representatives of states/UTs and the agencies employed, will participate.
“It was clarified that the expenditure for conducting the social audit will be met from the Media, Monitoring, Management, Evaluation and Research (MMMER) funds of Samagra Shiksha, up to 0.5% of the state annual budget allocation. In case flexibility is required in the budget limit proposed, states and UTs may write to the department of school education and literacy for any possible amendment,” the ministry said.
It also said that as states are facing challenges in identifying and selecting agencies to carry out the work, they have the option of educational institutes based on NAAC rating to conduct the social audit in schools.