How public sector auditors help India to work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

What is it about?

This article focuses on India's efforts to achieve the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs) which require it to ensure “no one is left behind”. Specifically we consider how the government is held accountable to ensure integrated democratic accountability through inclusive stakeholder engagement with and between diverse actors. This requires them to recognize and preserve social complexity and plurality mediated through public dialogues between actors and institutions. Hence, we analyze how India's public sector auditor context holds the government accountable for its international pledges to SDGs, including stakeholder engagement. This involves related actions of India’s two key democratic institutions - the Supreme Audit Institution and Public Accounts Committee. At an international level, we argue for the UN to develop more effective mechanisms to hold governments accountable for policies and progress on their SDG commitments. Such mechanisms could include regular progress and performance audits and monitoring both nationally and internationally. These could contribute to improved leadership and integrated policy-making across layers and levels within a nation state.

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Why is it important?

It is important for nations' governments to be held accountable for the commitments they make internationally. The SDGs are vital and nations should be working towards achieving them in 2030, but in a way that leaves no one behind. This is why we have considered the operation of democratic accountability in this article.

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