Transparency & Accountability Programme

The problem related to implementation of the progressive legislations is compounded by the presence of a local governance system that lacks adequate capacity, absence of accountability systems and non-transparent functioning. The lack of transparency and accountability in the system motivated CDS to initiate the process to make the system transparent and accountable with active involvement of the community and support from DFID and ANSA-SAR. CDS was engaged for successful implementation of these laws in Angul district of Odisha since the Dec-2007 to Dec-2008 with the support of DFID, UK, and from April 2010 to March-2012 the organization has worked with the support of ANSA-SAR. The main objective of the intervention was better use of social accountability tools & instruments in proper implementation of pro-poor legislation (RTI, NREGA & FRA) for ensuring entitlements & livelihood security of poor & marginalized. CDS facilitated Community Score Card (CSC) in all the ten Gram Panchayats of the operational area. The process of facilitating CSC as a social accountability tool helped in increasing people’s participation from decision making to implementation in all development initiatives and thus making the governance system and service delivery mechanism more effective.