PROOF

PROOF is a powerful concept that promotes greater transparency and accountability in local government institutions. Central to the PROOF agenda is the quarterly public presentation of accounts by the city corporation. This provides citizens with the opportunity to participate in discussions that are vital to their quality of life.

Three key attributes to Information—predictability, immediacy and standardisation—are critical for public DISCLOSURE to remain meaningful. The fully computerised Fund Based Accounting System established in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, enables prompt and accurate quarterly financial performance reports. This provides the information backbone for PROOF to involve citizens in a meaningful debate with their local government.

Janaagraha, initiated PROOF in July 2002 in partnership with three other citizen based organisations. PROOF is now an independent, registered trust, in partnership with Voices and Akshara, and with Janaagraha as the founding trustee.

Through the last eight quarters of public disclosure events, PROOF has undergone tremendous maturation. While there is a long way to go, the wins have been substantial. The initial reluctance from government has given way to a genuine willingness to participate in quarterly public discussions. The financial reports which started with very rudimentary data, have been putting on flesh and the public participants have moved from individual grievances to deeper questions of performance and strategic decision-making. Individual areas of government services—for example education—are measured against exhaustive Performance Indicators based on ground analysis. Against these benchmarks, intervention measures
for improved outcomes are recommended.

The vision for PROOF is to establish a legitimate process and space for Public Disclosure and performance evaluation of urban governments across the country. This has two other significant benefits: at both national and state level, cities can start comparing how they rank in the delivery of public goods and services; and through the process of "PROOF in My Ward" participatory budgeting and accountability can be taken to the neighbourhood level.

The work done through PROOF is already beginning to shape public policy. The National Urban Renewal Programme has included mandatory disclosure as a prerequisite for civic bodies, and PROOF provides a model for disclosure in Bangalore.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has highlighted the PROOF effort in a compilation of successful accountability ideas. PROOF has also been chosen by the World Bank as one of the Best Practices in the Asia Pacific region. PROOF has been short listed by CRISIL for an award for innovation excellence in bringing public institution accountability. PROOF is now spreading it’s wings with Yuva-a civil society initiative-taking it forward in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The municipal government of Mumbai too has expressed interest in adopting PROOF in Mumbai.