By Archana Kannan and Anjan Vij

In latest years, know-how has emerged as a robust software in enhancing India’s entry to social welfare methods, particularly for marginalised and deprived communities. The widespread availability of cell phones and web entry has opened new avenues for delivering welfare providers digitally, revolutionising how social safety applications are carried out. This article explores the transformative potential of know-how in enhancing entry to social safety methods in India. From profitable initiatives to key challenges and moral issues, we delve into how know-how can empower people and improve the effectivity and effectiveness of public insurance policies.

Leveraging know-how for equitable entry 

India’s booming cell phone penetration and web person base present a powerful basis for leveraging know-how to enhance entry to social welfare methods. With over 1.3 billion cell phone subscribers and 624 million web customers as of January 2023 and 2021, there’s immense potential to ship welfare providers digitally. 

Mobile functions can function a medium to supply details about welfare schemes, streamline utility processes, and supply real-time updates on the standing of functions. Online platforms can act as centralised portals, simplifying entry to a number of applications and providers. Digital cost methods facilitate the direct switch of welfare advantages, making certain environment friendly and clear supply. These methods additionally promote monetary inclusion by encouraging the adoption of digital cost strategies and formal monetary providers.

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Technology can be leveraged in varied methods to enhance the effectivity and effectiveness of India’s public insurance policies and safety applications. Advanced information analytics methods, together with AI and ML algorithms, can inform evidence-based coverage selections, anticipate wants, and optimise useful resource allocation in varied sectors reminiscent of healthcare, agriculture, and concrete planning. Blockchain presents decentralised and tamper-proof record-keeping capabilities, making certain transparency and accountability in land information, provide chain administration, and monetary transactions. Smart contracts powered by blockchain may also automate compliance, scale back paperwork, and streamline public administration and repair supply processes.

Successful initiatives driving equitable entry 

Government initiatives reminiscent of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and Common Service Centers (CSCs) have utilised know-how to allow direct funds transfers to beneficiaries and supply digital providers to residents throughout the nation. Through the DBT system, over 3,400 central and state authorities schemes have been carried out, leading to roughly INR 16.97 lakh crore (USD 229 billion) transferred on to beneficiaries. CSCs are entry factors for delivering varied authorities providers to residents, significantly in rural areas. These CSCs present providers like Aadhaar enrolment, utility invoice funds, and banking, and over 4.18 lakh (418,000) CSCs had been operational as of June 2021, offering digital providers to residents nationwide.

Two noteworthy examples of technology-driven initiatives are Jan Dhan Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The Jan Dhan Yojana, launched in 2014, opened financial institution accounts for beneficiaries and utilised biometric authentication by way of micro-ATMs, enabling safe and environment friendly entry to banking providers. As of May 2021, over 43.08 crores (430 million) of financial institution accounts had been opened below this scheme, rising monetary inclusion and entry to numerous social welfare advantages. The PMUY, launched in 2016, leveraged Aadhaar-based verification and digital cost mechanisms to supply clear cooking gasoline to households under the poverty line. As of January 2023, over 9.3 crores (93 million) of LPG connections had been offered to eligible households, empowering girls, decreasing indoor air pollution, and enhancing well being outcomes. 

Challenges, downsides and mitigation measures

Bringing know-how into India’s social welfare methods has its justifiable share of challenges and obstacles. Some dangers related to know-how adoption embrace excluding marginalised populations, privateness issues, bias in algorithms, technical challenges, resistance to alter, and fraud. Limited accessibility in rural areas, infrastructure and connectivity points and community reliability hinder widespread know-how adoption. Moreover, low digital literacy ranges, significantly among the many aged and marginalised communities, impede know-how adoption and utilisation. And, in fact, privateness and information safety issues additionally come up with gathering, storing, and sharing private information by way of technology-driven methods.

Placing people on the centre of know-how growth and deployment is essential to mitigate the dangers. It is important to contain stakeholders, together with beneficiaries, all through the design course of to know their wants, preferences, and issues. As nicely as incorporate suggestions and iterative enhancements primarily based on real-world experiences.

Just a few moral issues should even be addressed. Privacy and consent are paramount, and information safety legal guidelines needs to be in place to safeguard people’ info. There is a necessity for knowledgeable consent frameworks and safe storage methods. Furthermore, designing inclusive options, making certain transparency, and offering digital literacy applications can assist tackle these dangers and make sure that technology-driven initiatives are equitable and efficient.

Role of NGOs in making certain equitable entry 

NGOs in India can collaborate with the federal government, personal sector, and different stakeholders to make sure equitable entry to social welfare methods by way of know-how. They play an important position on this collaboration by figuring out group wants and suggesting technology-based interventions. NGOs additionally advocate for insurance policies supporting inclusivity and information safety whereas piloting and testing progressive options with personal and tutorial companions. Moreover, they contribute to capability constructing and information sharing by way of coaching applications and might even monitor the effectiveness of technology-driven initiatives. 

In conclusion, know-how has the potential to revolutionise social welfare methods in India, enabling equitable entry and environment friendly service supply. Mobile functions, on-line platforms, and digital cost methods can play a pivotal position in increasing the attain of social safety schemes. However, challenges such because the digital divide, privateness issues, and talent gaps should be addressed to make sure inclusivity. By leveraging know-how responsibly and addressing moral issues, India can construct a strong and equitable social safety ecosystem that leaves nobody behind on the journey out of poverty.

(The authors: Archana Kannan is COO, Indus Action and Anjan Vij, is Senior Manager, Fundraising & Communications, Indus Action. Views expressed are private.)