November 14th , 2011shakeel.ahmad@oneworld.net

Timely and easy Access to Information through ICT

KNOWLEDGE FOR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND ENHANCED LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES

OneWorld’s ICT Innovation for MGNREGA

Context Knowledge for Community Empowerment and Enhanced Livelihood

Opportunities

• OneWorld’s ICT intervention in support of MGNREGA – to help realise the promise of livelihood security and right to work of the rural poor

• Empowering target beneficiaries access optimal benefits from MGNREGA

• Enabling, within the framework of rights, entitlements and information:

I. Communication and awareness on MGNREGA II. Access to work and rightful wages for workersIII. Accountability and transparency on the ground

• Uses a mix of technologies – ICTs and biometrics, and social-community media

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Programme Components

1. Soochna Seva Kendra (Info kiosks) supplemented by Hand Held Device (HHD) to automate

Biometric worker attendance, job demand and work allocation, issue of receipts, and work measurement on ground

2. Community Radio

Awareness on MGNREGS and knowledge participation of workers

3. Digital Knowledge Repository

Platform for collaboration between Govt., NGOs and the private sector for discourse on MGNREGA, and to create a resource bank on the scheme

Pilot innovation in two districts: Bhilwara and Udaipur in RajasthanBhilwara Udaipur

Suwana Block Girva Block

Panchayats: Kanda, Rupaheli, Haled, Suwana

Panchayats: Kurabad, Paramda

10 villages 10 villages

Served over 8600 MGNREGA workers

The Journey: Soochna Sewa Kendras: From Panchayats - to field - to mobile

Started 2nd Oct 2009 with set up of Soochna Seva Kendras

Kanda and Suwana Panchayats (Bhilwara) and Kurabad Panchayat (Udaipur)

Serving a total of 20 villages Innovative touch-screen voice kiosks enable workers to get

work/wage information by simply touching icon on screen All transactions biometrically verified

In 2010, services enhanced with on site Hand Held Device, for:

Biometric and GPS-based attendance, e-muster roll, grievance input and job demand

Mobile-based Job Card Retrieval facility for work-related information on mobile

In 2011, integration of existing biometric application with National UIDAI Authentication Module - on interest from Govt. of India

Simplification in MGNREGA processes owing to ICT-transactions most visible in Job Demands

Job demand is also most preferred transaction at kiosks

Job Demand process post info-kiosks

Job Demand process before kiosks

The Journey: Job demand using Information Kiosk and getting acknowledge receipt

The Journey: Attendance registration from work site using HHD

Hand Held Device allows biometric and GPS-based attendance registration and tracking of workers

Worker attendance and worksite progress monitored online on http://report.nrega.net

Job demand and grievance registration from worksite in lieu of visiting kiosk

HHD tool overwhelmingly preferred by workers as helping bring transparency to ground

Complete end-to-end ICT ecosystem piloted

End-to-End ICT Ecosystem: Progress and Outcomes

• E-enabling of MGNREGA processes for timely and easy access to information and payment of rightful wages

Text-to-voice functionality promotes inclusion of illiterate and women workers

Knowledge of MGNREGA provisions about which workers were not aware before: like unemployment allowance

Bottom-up field monitoring with HHD eliminates proxy attendance and ghost workers

Effect on reducing corruption and bringing transparency

Grievance redressal mechanisms create empowered environment

Significant increase in worker participation noted

• Near 12000 transactions at the Info-kiosks

• 1040 Job Demands registered

• Biometric registration of over 8600 MGNREGA workers

In view of success of intervention, Suwana Block has mandated job demand through kiosk only

End-to-End ICT Ecosystem: LearningsSource: Case Study for the World Bank Institute’s Access to Public Information (A2PI) Initiative

Perception Mapping:• 90% surveyed users stated importance and

usefulness of info-kiosks• Job demand made easier: 85% users• Improved access to scheme information:

65% workers• Biometric system very helpful in reducing

corruption: 94 % workers

Evidence of benefits in: •Information empowerment of workers •Empowerment of and independent participation by women workers•Workload sharing at Panchayat level on MGNREGA processes•Reduced instances of corruption

Community Radio

To increase workers’ awareness and participation on MGNREGA and social issues

Training and handholding support to develop a cadre of local community radio volunteers

Participatory scheme of radio production - over 142 radio volunteers trained in Suwana and Girva blocks

Local radio initiative in Suwana named ‘Apna Gaon Apni Baat’ (Our Village Our Message)

National broadcast of 17 episodes of MGNREGA radio series created with community voices on AIR FM Rainbow India; listenership of over 15000 across 12 states

57 narrowcasts locally across 19 listeners’ groups, spurring constructive discourse in community

Issues covered

Biometric payment, NREGA Mate, Livelihood, Child marriage, Dowry, Village concerns, Literacy, Violence

against women, Sanitation, Hygiene, NREGA song and slogans, Helpdesk

on farming, Water conservation, Gender discrimination in education,

NREGA, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Kiosks, Training of

Mates, Social Audit, Bank Loans, NREGA works, Biometric

attendance, Bhajans, ICT technology in Dairy, ICT technology in Hospitals,

Radio plays on NREGA, Revenue Department, Social Welfare,

E-mitra, Women's Day, Budget

Recommendations

Portable ICT solution may be considered to allow greater reach to villages

Hand Held Device presently assists kiosk operations on the field

Opportunity for HHD application to be enhanced so it can function independently

as a complete kiosk

Text to speech application on mobile may be explored

Need for institutionalising the project at Government, district and state levels

Need to explore revenue generating mechanisms to determine the feasibility of up-

scaling the project

Integrating Banking Component with ICT Ecosystem for direct deposit of wages into

worker bank accounts

Deu Keer, MGNREGA Worker, Mangrop Village The best thing about the Soochna Sewa Kendras is that we can get work whenever we want. Earlier this was not possible. It was difficult to get work. Moreover with the thumb impression attendance now, we can be sure that the correct attendance is being recorded. This also means the computer calculates our wages, so we get our correct wages. This is a good service.

Sita Sharma, MGNREGA Worker, Pander VillageEarlier we used to make 5 to 7 rounds of the GP, but getting work used to be so difficult. Today just with a thumb impression we can get work. Now I have work, I earn my wages, and I am even saving money. I can even SMS if I have any need.

Gopal Jat, Mate, Suwana Village Earlier we had to approach the Secretary and Sarpanch for job demands. Now this is automated. Even illiterate workers and women can access information through this service. The work load of mates has reduced due to automisation of work. We can even register grievances on the system. I once put in a grievance regarding late payment of wages. I got my payment within 3 days of that. I think the nearby villages should also have SSKs. This will benefit them like it has benefited us.

Worker Testimonial

Thank You

Experiences and learnings from pilot implementation of OneWorld’s intervention formed key inputs for the National Framework on ‘Biometrics Enabled ICT for People’s Empowerment under MGNREGA’.