Can mobile phones improve governance?

Can mobile phones improve governance?

News:

Improving last-mile service delivery using phone-based monitoring.

Facts:

• Government claims as mobile phone penetration increases across India, it can directly reach out to beneficiaries to generate quick, independent feedback about program delivery.
• Currently mobile phone-based monitoring project is being used to assess scheme performance of Rythu Bandhu.

About Rythu Bandhu Scheme

• Under this scheme, the Government of Telangana (GoTS) provided Rs 4000/acre to farmers per agricultural season to help pay for key inputs like seeds and fertiliser.

Significance:

• Informing Mandal Agricultural Officers about phone-based monitoring led to a 1.5% increase in the number of farmers receiving the scheme’s benefits, with the effect more pronounced for poorer farmers.
• Phone-based monitoring was also highly cost-effective: costing only ₹36 for every additional ₹1,000 delivered.