1. About the Project

Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India is the nodal agency at apex level for policy development and promotion of provisions under rural development programmes. Consistent efforts have been in vogue to strengthen the implementation process. One of the important aspects in this regard is the component of Social Audit which enhances the transparency and accountability while implementing the programmes. In order to strengthen the Social Audit process and bring in more transparency and accountability across the country, Ministry of Rural Development has taken a decision to provide technical assistance to State Governments/ State Social Audit Units (SAUs) for conducting Social Audits in compliance with the Audit of Scheme Rules, 2011 through a special project.

2. Four Social Audit Consultants and one Social Audit Project Monitoring Consultant at MoRD

Under the Special Project to strengthen social audits in MGNREGA, the Centre for Social Audit (CSA) of NIRD is mandated to set in place a mechanisms for extending support to State Social Audit Units in conducting Social Audits by recruiting Four Social Audit Consultants and one Social Audit Project Monitoring Consultant. The Five consultants (4 Social Audit Consultants and 1 Social Audit Project Monitoring Consultant) hired will be placed with MGNREGA division, MoRD at New Delhi and will be allocated responsibilities between the Central Region, Western region, Northern Region, Eastern Region and the Southern Region respectively. The consultants so recruited will provide technical assistance as and when requested by Social audit units; develop minimum standards of social audits that should be complied with Audit of Scheme Rules and ensure states will institutionalize the same; develop a framework for providing capacity building and training to personnel recruited by States in conducting social audits.

3. Two National experts on social audit in NRCSA

To provide technical support to the Social Audit Units in States a National Resource Centre on Social Audit (NRCSA) will be constituted at National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), Hyderabad with funding support from Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Panchayati Raj. NRCSA will be manned by experts on social audit and mentored by an Advisory Council consisting of experts and Government officials. The overall objective of NRCSA is to equip and support the social audit units and create a cadre of committed social audit resource persons to carry out social audits effectively in all the development programmes

The Functions of NRCSA are to train and place social audit resource persons in each Social Audit Units in collaboration with State Government, Certification of the trainers, taking up pilot social audits to handhold the resource persons of SAU, Test audits, where social audits are institutionalised for authentication and to make social audits more effective, Liaison with the different ministries/ institutions for professional and mutual support in the area of conduct of social audits and institutionalising in the respective schemes, Create and manage knowledge repository on social audit/ social accountability including a website on social audit, Document and disseminate good practices in social audit, Organise seminars, workshops, exposure visits for exchange of experience and cross learnings on social audit, Undertaking research that supports the policy decisions, Develop online/ distance certificate programmes on social accountability mechanisms and social audit, Partnering with likeminded institutes to deliver the above said activities Thus NRCSA at NIRD&PR is mandated to set in place a mechanisms for performing all the above functions by recruiting Two National experts on social audit. The Two National experts on social audit hired will be placed with National Resource Centre on Social Audit (NRCSA) at NIRD&PR, Hyderabad.

4. The Mandate of Social Audit Consultants of MoRD

The Consultants are responsible for liaising with State Social Audit Units under MGNREGS and:

a) Ensure conduct of designated Social Audits in an effective manner b) Conducting pilot social audits in select blocks/gram Panchayats across the country c) Assist MoRD in regard to laying down the standards for conduct of social audits d) Build capacities of the Social Audit resource persons deployed in States e) Monitor the quality of social Audits conducted by the Social Audit Units f) Identify and equip a network of organizations in each State to conduct test checks on the

social audits reported by the State.

g) In addition, the Consultants are also required to assist MoRD/NRCSA on any other tasks as mandated by Ministry of Rural Development in regard to the project interventions on Social Audit.

h) The Consultants are required to travel extensively across the country.

5. The Mandate of National experts on social audit

The National experts on social audit are responsible for liaising with State Social Audit Unit under MGNREGS and conduct

Training of Trainers (TOT) on Social Audit in Prime Minister Awas Yojana -Rural, Fourteenth Finance commission grant and in other development programmes as per the demand

Take up Training need assessment (TNA), Preparation of training module and material on social audit Training of master trainers at National level (for each development programme) Training of state, district and block level trainers/ resource persons, Sensitization of Officials and PRIs, Impact assessment of training and Certification of the trainers.

Take up Pilot / Test social audit in GPs of highest expenditure under the schemes like MGNREGA/ PMAY/IWMP, FFCG etc Create and manage knowledge repository on social audit/ social accountability including a website on social audit:

Liaison with other ministries / institutions for providing professional support as and when required. It also involves in policy advocacy to take forward the agenda of social audit by networking with other like-minded institute.

Develop online/ distance certificate programmes on social accountability mechanisms and social audit so that there will not be dearth of trained personnel and also provides opportunity for others who want to learn about social audit.

Undertake research in the area of social accountability and social audit which helps in the policy decision taking. In addition, case studies of successful initiatives are also taken up. The studies identify the critical areas affecting the process of implementation, deficiencies and also clearly suggest action points based on the causative analysis.

Organize seminar, workshops, exposure visits time to time for exchange of experience and

learnings on social audit.

Thus to perform above tasks, the National experts on social audit are required to travel extensively

across the country.

6. Required Competencies for all the above positions

• Preparation and interface with SAU directors, State RD officials across all the State Governments to take forward the social audits effectively on line with Audit of Scheme Rules 2011;
  
  
• Facilitation of conduct of pilot audits, test audits;
  
  
• Training and Capacity Building Activities;
  
  
• Documenting learnings and undertaking research.
  
  
• Create weekly / monthly / yearly reports on conduct of social audits,
  
  
• Create an integrated plan/schedule for review of progress
  
  
• Support in Preparing the MIS on social audit
  
  

7. Behavioural Competencies

• Timely & Accurate Decisions
  
  
• Ownership of Decision
  
  
• Problem Solving Attitude
  
  
• Proactive Planning
  
  
• Foresight
  
  
• Implementation of innovation based initiatives
  
  
• Focus on Continuous improvement
  
  
• Recognizes & Encourages Performance
  
  
• Efficient Flow of Information
  
  
• Collaborative Style of Working
  
  
• Respect Towards Individual
  
  
• Open Work Environment
  
  
• Focus on Outcomes
  
  

8. Details on qualifications of 4 Social Audit Consultants and 1 Social Audit Project Monitoring Consultant, experience

I. Social Audit Consultants -4 Nos.

Qualifications/Experience

i. Qualifications :

a. Essential : Post-Graduation in Social Sciences; Engineering (Civil) or Agriculture with 60% marks

ii. Experience :

a. Essential : -10 years grassroots experience with CSO and out of which at least five years of experience of Social Audit under MGNREGS

iii. Age Limit : Below 45 years

iv.

Languages known : Excellent command over Hindi and English languages

v.

Publications : Possession of publications or reports/ manuals/training materials/ IEC material on Social Audit is desirable

vi. Any other : Effective communication skills, experience on Administrative issues, sound knowledge on MGNREGA etc. Remuneration : Rupees 80,000/-per month TA/DA Remuneration : On par with Group I officers of Govt. of India

Application Format : Candidates have to apply through Online Registration available on the website www.nird.org with support documents and certificates. Report of at least two social audits conducted or participated by them have to be uploaded.

II. Social Audit Project Monitoring Consultant -1 No.