Technology as Conduit of Social Protection: Lessons from India
Technology as Conduit of Social Protection: Lessons from India
Socio-economic instabilities have created challenges for development and reinforced the need for provision of welfare to large populations. The G20 Leaders’ Declaration in Rome (2021) emphasised the need for stronger social protection using a ‘human-centric’ approach. Technology can play a crucial role in ensuring effective welfare delivery in tandem with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). India has a robust social security framework that caters to millions of people which has further strengthened in the last decade through digital technology-based initiatives; Jan Dhan Yojna is one such significant policy initiative. The G20, under India’s presidency, is an appropriate forum for devising coordinated efforts to make better use of digital technology to strengthen social protection. This Policy Brief evaluates India’s digitally driven welfare architecture and outlines lessons that G20 members can possibly emulate; it offers recommendations for more efficient social welfare initiatives.