In continuation of last week’s session where we learnt about the ways and means in which citizens and civil society organisations can hold the government accountable, this week we delved into the challenges that institutions and government face in the delivery of services to the marginalised individuals and explored ways to rectify these challenges.
The session emphasised the need to ensure that the voices of the underprivileged, including women, disabled individuals, and widows are not only heard but also actively engaged by the citizens, organisations, and governments at all levels.
The facilitator for the session was Mr. Binoy Acharya, Founder- Director of UNNATI- Organisation for Development Education. He brought to the forefront the various barriers that hinders the delivery of essential services like food, employment, and shelter, which he referred to as "Roti, Rozi, aur Ghar," to these marginalised groups. These barriers were illustrated through various real-life instances and ground realities, providing us with a stark picture of the challenges faced by those living on the fringes of the society.
Welfare programs are important for the poor to live with dignity. Mr. Acharya discussed several key welfare programs, such as the Rural Employment Guarantee Program, PM AWAS Yojana, and the National Social Assistance Program for the elderly and the disabled. While these programs appear promising on paper, many beneficiaries do not have access to them due to various difficulties.
The first challenge that Mr. Acharya mentioned was the excessive formalities that exist in the application process. Every beneficiary needs to provide proof of their eligibility to avail services, and amidst the weight of paperwork, people often falter. Conditionalities in schemes like ones existing in PM Matra Vandana Yojana also hinders people to avail its benefits. Other than these issues, with digitalisation and strenuous enrolment processes were brought to the forefront in the discussion.
Under the National Social Assistance program, obtaining certificates for disabilities was discussed as a cumbersome process. Mr. Acharya informed that limited certification days (once a month) and remoteness of villages pose significant barriers for both the beneficiaries and doctors alike. Digital illiteracy, which hinders one from accessing and filling out online forms, acts as another major deterrent to the smooth delivery of services.
Mr. Acharya’s insights illuminated the stark realities of those on the margins of society and emphasised the urgency of streamlining and simplifying the delivery of essential services by limiting the formalities and conditionalities involved in availing the benefits of schemes, learning from other states, ensuring not only digitalisation but also digital literacy for the benefit of the underprivileged. The conversation and discussion revolving around the challenges faced by the marginalized in availing the services on the demand side and the loopholes in the delivery of the schemes on the supply side were of immense significance for our fellows who are actively engaged in research related to urban civic issues and governance. The first-hand experiences and challenges shared during the session will undoubtedly enrich their understanding of the complexities surrounding service delivery and empower them to purpose more effective and inclusive solutions through their research. Additionally, the examples of good practices being implemented in other states gave them a positive picture and would enable them to deliberate and come up with other such practices that can be implemented through their research.