Social accountability
Topic: Transparency, Accountability and e-Governance · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Social accountability means citizens and civil society demand answers from those in power directly. They do not just wait for elections or for formal bodies like courts and Parliament. Its tools include jan sunwai (village public hearings), social audits, citizen report cards, community scorecards, participatory budgeting and gram sabha oversight. It matters because it lets ordinary people check whether money was spent and services were delivered.
Example
In the 1990s the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) in Rajasthan held jan sunwais. At these hearings, official records of works and wages were read aloud for residents to check. This exposed ghost workers and fake bills, under the slogan "hamara paisa, hamara hisaab" (our money, our accounts). Kerala's People's Plan Campaign (1996) is another example, in which people helped decide the budget.
Don't confuse with
- Vertical accountability: rulers answer to citizens mainly through elections and the media.
- Horizontal accountability: other state bodies check the executive. These include Parliament, the courts, the CAG and the CVC.
Related concepts
- Citizen report card
- Social audit
- Meghalaya Community Participation and Public Services Social Audit Act 2017