Tweak The Tech – MNREGA’s process change to reduce corruption is hurting those who need jobs. GoI must have a relook

Source: The post is based on the article “Tweak The Tech – MNREGA’s process change to reduce corruption is hurting those who need jobs. GoI must have a relook” published in The Times of India on 19th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.

Relevance: About the process ‘improvements’ in MGNREGA.

News: The app-based attendance and Aadhaar-enabled payments were introduced in MGNREGA. But these process ‘improvements’ in MGNREGA have hampered the interface for the poor and deterred people from seeking work.

About the process ‘improvements’ in MGNREGA

Last year, the government introduced a national mobile monitoring software. The software can record attendance in real-time, with geotags and photographs. The move was intended to minimise corruption and provide oversight. But, the software has also made the MGNREGA work inaccessible to many poor households.

How do process ‘improvements’ in MGNREGA hamper access to the poor?

a) wage payments are delayed, b) only 43% of MNREGA workers qualified for the new Aadhaar-based payment system. This is because they have not been able to fill in their details, c) workers losing wages because of errors in the attendance system, d) worksite supervisors having to buy smartphones to use the app, d) connectivity and app errors are also associated with the system.

What should be done?

Digitisation has been one of India’s success stories. But, when it comes to using tech in public services proper alternatives should be provided.