- The efforts undertaken by the Indian government at digitalization are not only elaborate but also envisage an all-encompassing policy aimed at benefiting the common citizens through the use of dynamically evolving cutting-edge technologies. As an aspirational society, Indian citizens will not complain but wholeheartedly embrace the perpetually evolving technology to stay on par with some of the most advanced nations. We are proud that some of the biggest tech behemoths are run by CEOs from the subcontinent and that Indian software developers are well-known. Given these facts, the Indian government is obligated to use the technologies at its disposal to ensure that beneficiaries of various programmes and social initiatives are reached.
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- We know how the BJP-led NDA government’s flagship direct benefit transfer (DBT) has revolutionized the way eligible Indian citizens receive intended benefits in their bank accounts. Yes, MNREGA is one of the most effective social welfare measures undertaken by the Union Government back then giving the rural poor a measure of security. Millions of the workforce receive their livelihood by enrolling in MNREGA. This was amply demonstrated during the pandemic when the thrust was laid on infrastructure developments to ensure the perpetual availability of employment opportunities for the labour workforce. Of late, and ironically after process improvements, it’s become another forbidding government interface for the poor.
- For the uninitiated, last year the Union Government introduced a national mobile monitoring software – able to record attendance in real-time, with geotags and photographs. This intervention, which was designed to reduce corruption and provide monitoring, has made the programme inaccessible to many of those who most need it. Just 43% of MNREGA workers qualified for the new Aadhaar-based payment system because they were unable to enter their information, causing wage payments to be delayed. Workers have been camped out in Delhi for almost two months, pleading with the government to assist them. Further, this year’s budget slashed MNREGA allocation by 33% from last year’s revised estimates. GOI attributes this to declining demand for such work.
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- This is ostensibly owing to improving rural economic conditions. However, there is a contrarian opinion. The cause is that buggy technological solutions, such as app-based attendance and Aadhaar-enabled payments, discourage individuals from looking for desperately needed work. Employees testified about missing earnings due to mistakes in the attendance system and needing to purchase smartphones so that site managers may utilize the programme. Periodic connectivity and app problems should have been anticipated when the system was implemented, and alternatives should have been provided. Nobody should be forced to forgo just compensation for labour because of a difficult technical repair that places an unreasonable burden on the nation’s most vulnerable residents. Digitization also means fixing the tech glitches expeditiously.
