The Unseen Cost of Efficiency
The government's push to make Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through Aadhaar mandatory for all central schemes is a move celebrated for its promise of efficiency and transparency. On the surface, the logic is impeccable. By linking a unique digital identity to a bank account, we aim to create a direct pipeline for welfare, cutting out the corruption and delays that have plagued our system for decades. This is the vision of a streamlined, technologically advanced India, where benefits like scholarships and financial assistance reach their intended recipients without friction.
However, in our relentless pursuit of a clean, digital system, I worry about who gets left behind. What happens when a fingerprint fails to register? Or when a villager in a remote area with patchy connectivity is unable to link their Aadhaar to their bank account? For the architects of this system in their air-conditioned offices, these might seem like minor glitches, edge cases to be ironed out over time. But for the individual on the ground—an elderly pensioner, a student awaiting a scholarship, a family depending on subsidies—that 'glitch' can be a catastrophic failure. A single point of failure in the system becomes a full stop in their lives.
The Principle of Reaching the End User
This situation brings to mind a principle I wrote about many years ago, albeit in a completely different context. In a 2015 blog post titled DE-MYSTIFYING DIGITAL MARKETING, I argued that if your customers cannot find you, you must find a way to take your message to them. The moral was simple: the responsibility of delivery lies with the sender, not the recipient.
The core idea I wanted to convey is this — I had brought up this fundamental thought years ago. The goal of any system, whether for marketing or for governance, is to successfully reach its target. Now, seeing how things have unfolded with Aadhaar-based DBT, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. The government is essentially trying to 'blast' welfare benefits directly to citizens, but if the delivery mechanism is rigid and unforgiving, the 'message' is lost. Reflecting on it today, I feel a sense of validation in that core principle, but also a renewed urgency. A failed marketing campaign leads to lost revenue; a failed welfare payment leads to human suffering. The stakes are infinitely higher.
Technology should be a bridge, not a barrier. While the intention behind mandatory Aadhaar-based DBT is laudable, the implementation must be tempered with empathy and robust, accessible fallback mechanisms. We cannot afford a system where efficiency is achieved at the cost of exclusion. True progress is measured not by the elegance of our databases, but by our ability to uplift the most vulnerable among us.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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