Improvement in public policies and learning from evaluation of its results is a continuous process of the system. Better public policy is one in which participation of the public is maximum. Public policies involving direct cash transfer (DBT) are examples of best public policy as the public under these schemes gets the right to take decisions. This statement was made by Dr. Shweta Sharma, Director, DMEO, NITI Aayog during a webinar organized by the Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP).
While addressing students, policy experts and journalists on the topic ‘Monitoring And Evaluation For Sound Public Policy’, Dr. Shweta Sharma praised the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin and Pradhan Mantri Gramya Sadak Yojana. He said that under these two schemes, the end goal is not just to finish the work of building houses or constructing roads in any way. Along with carrying out the work under these schemes, innovations and changes are also being made by continuously improving them. Under the Gramya Sadak Yojana, innovation is being done to work in greener ways, while under the housing scheme, the works are being monitored through geo-tagging etc. and the beneficiaries of the scheme are being involved in the process. Dr. Shweta Sharma also praised the course on public policy started by ISPP in Hindi and hoped that a new generation of public policy experts and aware citizens could go through this in future. During this, Dr. Neeti Shikha, the facilitator and associate dean of ISPP’s public policy program, said that in the Lokneeti course, impact assessment through data analysis and monitoring would be in focus apart from other practical issues. She was conducting the program and doing theme enforcement.