The Society for Social Audit Accountability and Transparency of Andhra Pradesh (SSAAT) has become the first State Social Audit Organisation in the country to receive the prestigious SKOCH Gold Award for its efforts to place people at the centre of social audits and strengthen transparency, accountability and public participation in the implementation of government programmes, according to an official release.
AP Social Audit Director G. Srikanth received the award at the 109th SKOCH Summit held at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi on Saturday.
The award recognises the State’s efforts to make social audits more participatory, transparent and accountable, particularly in the implementation of rural development and welfare programmes, the release said.
The initiatives taken under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development K. Pawan Kalyan have given fresh impetus to the State’s social audit mechanism, it said.
SSAAT has introduced several initiatives to deepen public participation in the process, including involving large numbers of people in field-level audits, placing findings before Gram Sabhas and at public hearings, livestreaming public proceedings and digitising social audit reports for wider public access.
Published – September 26, 2026 08:17 pm IST
