For effective public service delivery, the need today is to move from traditional accountability mechanisms to social accountability through greater civic engagement. Discuss with examples.

e.g:- social audit of MGNREGA

Benefits over traditional accountability mechanisms like CVC, CBI, courts or administrative (with in department) are

(i) Direct accountability to beneficiaries :-

• ensures that results/outcomes are actually realised by beneficiaries
• less scope for fraud, corruption, false data

(ii) Quick identification of corruption, abuse of power. e.g: MGNREGA contractor has shown 40 workers to only get more funds but in reality 30 workers. social audit can identify easily.

(iii) Improved quality of service delivery

• because public will directly question for poor quality e.g- PDS grains quality ; mid day meal quality
• Courts, CVC takes a lot of time to look