Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday 20 August 2021

Mukeshbhai, How about CMR ?

 


CMR = Corporate Moral Responsibility

CSR = Corporate Social responsibility

 

Context :

Glitches in App spell trouble for Aanganwadi workers  /  HT  /  20 Aug 2021

 

Extract :


What was the purpose of Poshan Tracker App ?

Around 6 months ago, Poshan Tracker App was launched with an aim to monitor nutritional outcomes in REAL TIME, which will be vital in improving maternal and child health

 

What is the trouble ?

Anganwadi workers ( 125,000 in Maharashtra alone / earning between Rs 4,500 – Rs 8,000 PM ) are unable to upload data ( of mal-nourished children / pregnant women / lactating mothers ), using Poshan Tracker App

 

Reason ?

The Smartphones with 2GB RAM which the Central Govt  gave them in 2019 are unable to support Poshan Tracker App.

The App keeps hanging every time they try to upload a photo. So, they have to reinitiate the uploading process repeatedly

 

Result ?

Starting August 17, AWs have started returning the insufficient phones to the State Women and Child Department ( WCD )

 

Why ?

The warranty of the phones expired in March. Since then, AWs have to pay for repair from their own pockets. “ These phones are not of good quality. So, often cameras malfunction or hardware gets damaged. Hence, these need repairing which costs between Rs 500 to Rs 2,000. AWs with such a low salary, cannot afford it “ . So many AWs are now using their PERSONAL phones. However, AWs are not getting the money to charge their internet package. AWs get Rs 599 for a 3-month package. But those who are using their PRIVATE phones are not getting the money. So, they are paying the money from their pockets.

 

Any other problem ?

Almost 90 % of Aanganwadi workers have completed Class 10 and have mostly studied in Marathi medium schools. They cannot read English, but the application is completely in English.

On a daily basis, they have to seek help from neighbours or their children to fill up the forms.

Also, there is no option to delete a form. So, if someone has typed a wrong name in English, they cannot delete it. This is leading to inaccurate reporting.

… but, when a 3 year old child becomes a year older , the application doesn’t update it. Thus the child keeps getting a nutrition package of the second age category

Similarly, women remain enlisted in the category of PREGNANT, even after delivery. So, she keeps getting nutrition package of a pregnant woman !

 

Recourse ?

In July, Aanganwadi Karmachari Sabha approached the Bombay High Court, seeking intervention in the matter.

“ The payment of AWs’ honorarium is linked to logging in data into the app. These technical errors are affecting the income of AWs. We have therefore approached the HC with the demand that the pay shouldn’t get deducted “

 

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Dear  Mukeshbhai Ambani,

 

Saving millions of women / children from pre-mature deaths due to mal-nutrition, would be the most humanitarian / noble act

I urge you to :

Ø  Offer to Central Government, to donate Jio Smartphones to 14 lakh Aanganwadi workers

Assuming that Jio smartphone is expected to sell for Rs 3,499 each, this will cost Reliance , Rs 490 Crore ( one time )


Ø  Offer to these 14 lakh Aanganwadi workers, your Jio internet data plan  but totally FREE

Assuming that this is your Rs 69 / month plan , it would cost Reliance, approx. Rs 10 crore / month , ie: Rs 120 Crore per year ( recurring cost )


Ø  Offer to re-vamp the Poshan Tracker mobile app by integrating facility for entering data in all major Indian languages – may be, even “ Speech Recognition “ feature ( of course, in all those languages, so that Aanganwadi workers just need to “ Speak “ to enter data ( automatic “ Speech –to – Text “ conversion and data-entry )


Jio phones to be delivered PRE-LOADED with revamped Poshan Tracker app


              

It is quite possible that, not only would the Central Government accept your offer but may even allow these expenses to be adjusted against your CSR obligations


If that happens, your humanitarian initiative could well become a BENCH-MARK for other big companies


If Govt accepts your offer but refuses to treat it as CSR, then please treat it as your CMR ( Corporate Moral Responsibility )

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  21 Aug 2021

RELATED READINGS :

Over 9 Lakh Children Suffer Severely Acute Malnutrition, States Centre; 3.98 Lakh From UP  /  Republic world

Dalit Children more likely to be stunted, shows study   /   TOI   /  30 July

Two Indias ………………………………………………………………………[ 26 April 2011 ]

Starving / Dying can be saved ………………………………………[ 19 Jan 2012 ]

Hunger is not an Issue ! …………………………………………………[ 20 Feb 2012 ]

Saving 1.2 million Kids …………………………………………………..[ 29 June 2016 ]

A Mobile App named " BANMALI "………………………………… .[ 15 Sept 2016 ]

BANMALI is the TOTAL SOLUTION …………………………………[ 14 Nov 2016 ]

Can Akshay Patra Banish Malnutrition ? ……………………….[ 05 June 2017 ]

Thank You Madam Maneka Gandhiji ………………………………[ 21 Dec 2018 ]

 

BANMALI arrives : Named as Poshan Tracker …………………[ 17 Apr 2021 ]

 

Poshan Tracker Update: Find Out Why You Are Unable To Login To The App      [  30 March 2021 ]

POSHAN TRACKER

Helping make India malnutrition free

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