Eficiência relativa no gasto público com assistência social na microrregião de Varginha-MG

Abstract

The phenomenon of globalization and the enactment of laws that establish greater transparency in public management have given the public sector the need to present a more efficient management to the population. The studies that relate to the efficiency of public spending stand out in this scenario, since they portray approaches on the allocation of public resources and the transparency to the society of the application of these resources. The current challenge of public management is therefore to achieve a balance between public spending and the results obtained through its application. In this way, governments with efficient economies have as their main objective to promote greater benefits for society at the lowest possible cost, thus avoiding the waste of public money. In the area of social assistance, the adequate allocation and application of resources in assistance policies have a relevant role in the search for the reduction of inequalities. In Brazil, for example, this type of efficient application represents an advance in view of the country's history of social inequality and poverty. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of public expenditures of the municipalities belonging to the Varginha-MG micro-region in the area of Social Assistance and Citizenship. In order to do so, we used the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology, which allows us to return results that relate the amount of resources applied to the results achieved, thus measuring the level of efficiency of the municipalities studied. The application of this type of research indicates how the municipalities are directing their resources to a certain area, in the case of this work the field of Social Assistance and Citizenship, and allows to demonstrate to society how much their municipalities are considered efficient. The results showed that the municipality of Três Pontas was the most efficient during the analyzed period, while the municipalities of Santana da Vargem and Monsenhor Paulo had the worst performances. By the research, it was also verified the occurrence of oscillations of the level of efficiency of some municipalities, as it happens with Coqueiral and Campos Gerais. It is hoped that the present study will be able to be a breakthrough in the area of public finances by proposing the use of the interpretation of available data for improving the use of public resources by those responsible and the dissemination of Society, thus contributing effectively to local development.