Context

• India is home to numerous tribal groups, with 75 identified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) across States. 
• Recognising their backwardness, the Government of India announced the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission in 2023-24 to improve the socio-economic conditions of PVTGs.
• However, the PVTGs and frontline officials face numerous challenges in using a mobile application to register for the Housing scheme.

Key Objectives and Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya MahaAbhiyan (PM JANMAN)

• The PM JANMAN initiative seeks to provide essential services such as safe housing, clean drinking water, and sanitation to PVTGs through 11 critical interventions.
• One of the flagship programs under this initiative is the Housing scheme, designed as a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme aimed at reaching 4.90 lakh PVTG households by 2026.
• Each household is entitled to ₹2.39 lakh in three instalments to ensure secure and habitable housing.
• This measure is intended to protect these vulnerable populations from environmental challenges and provide them with a sense of security.

Challenges in the Implementation of PM-JANMAN Housing Scheme

• Data Mismatch and Ineligibility Issues
  • One of the primary challenges in the registration process is the widespread deletion of job cards, which are mandatory for registering for the PM JANMAN Housing scheme.
  • Over the past two years, more than eight crore MGNREGA workers' job cards have been deleted, some of whom belong to PVTGs.
  • This massive data purge has resulted in many eligible households being unable to register for the housing scheme, thereby excluding them from receiving the benefits.
  • Moreover, cases of incorrect registrations further complicate the situation and Instances have been reported where someone else has registered using the job cards of actual beneficiaries.
  • This not only deprives the rightful owners of their entitlements but also creates additional administrative burdens in rectifying these errors.
• Discrepancies in Data Collection Systems
  • The registration app, 'Awaas+', provided to block/panchayat-level officials, plays a crucial role in the data collection process.
  • However, there are significant discrepancies between the data in this app and other official records.
  • For example, in Vanjari Panchayat, Alluri Sitharama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh, the app lists only 22 villages, whereas the MGNREGA Management Information System (MIS) lists 31 villages.
  • Such discrepancies create confusion among beneficiaries and officials, leading to potential exclusion of eligible households.
• App Usability and Confusion
  • The 'Awaas+' app's user interface and functionality also present notable challenges.
  • The app gathers beneficiaries' data in three primary areas: geographical location, household profiles, and bank account details.
  • However, the app’s design and operational issues make the process cumbersome.
  • The app includes pre-populated lists of villages, which often do not match official records.
  • This mismatch can lead to incorrect registrations or inability to register certain households.
• Geo-tagging and Network Issues
  • The app’s geo-tagging feature, intended to accurately record the location of households and planned construction sites, has also encountered problems.
  • Network issues in remote and inaccessible areas make geo-tagging difficult, resulting in incomplete or incorrect data entries.
  • This not only hampers the registration process but also affects the planning and delivery of services.
• Financial Inclusion Barriers
  • The app’s functionality related to bank selection is another significant hurdle where beneficiaries must choose from three categories of banks (Cooperative Bank, Commercial Bank, or Regional Rural Bank), each presenting a long list of options.
  • For example, selecting 'Commercial Bank' can display over 300 options, and choosing 'State Bank of India' can show over 500 branch options.
  • This complexity is overwhelming for both beneficiaries and officials, particularly those with limited digital literacy.
  • Furthermore, despite the Government of India’s emphasis on the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) to improve financial inclusion in remote areas, the app does not include IPPB in its list of banks.
  • This omission restricts access to convenient banking services for many PVTG households, who might rely on IPPB for financial transactions.
• Inclusivity and Accessibility Issues
  • The app also fails to capture explicit information about PVTGs, defaulting to a general 'ST' (Scheduled Tribe) category.
  • This oversight results in non-PVTG registrations, further complicating the process.
  • Local officials sometimes require PVTG members to obtain certification from village leaders, which can be problematic in areas where PVTGs and non-PVTGs coexist.
  • Additionally, network issues have made the geo-tagging feature cumbersome, adding to the difficulties faced by both officials and beneficiaries.

Recommendations for Policymakers to Improve the PM JANMAN Scheme

• User-Friendly Application Interface
  • The ‘Awaas+’ mobile app should be redesigned to simplify navigation, with intuitive menus and clear instructions.
  • This will help both beneficiaries and frontline officials who may not be tech-savvy.
  • Also, there should be detailed instructions on how to enter names and other details, especially in cases where Aadhaar information is not available or differs from official records.
• Accurate and Comprehensive Data Lists
  • The government must ensure the app’s pre-populated lists of villages and other data fields are regularly updated and synchronized with other government databases, such as the MGNREGA Management Information System (MIS), to eliminate discrepancies.
  • Also, there should be inclusion of explicit fields for PVTGs within the app to prevent non-PVTG households from being incorrectly registered.
• Include IPPB in Banking Options
  • The government should consider adding the IPPB to the list of available banks in the registration app.
  • Given IPPB’s extensive reach in rural and remote areas, this inclusion would significantly enhance financial access for PVTG households.
  • Moreover, the government should strive to reduce the complexity of the bank selection dropdown by implementing a search function or categorising banks more effectively to facilitate easier selection by users.
• Improve Technical Infrastructure
  • The government should invest in improving network connectivity in remote areas to support the use of geo-tagging and other app functionalities.
  • Partnering with telecom companies to extend coverage to underserved regions and developing offline capabilities for the registration app to allow data collection without immediate internet access, with subsequent synchronisation when connectivity is available can be useful.
  • Other than that, the government should provide comprehensive training programs for frontline officials and community volunteers on using the app and managing the registration process efficiently.
  • Also, it will be beneficial to establish dedicated technical helplines or support centres to assist with real-time troubleshooting and guidance for users facing difficulties.

Conclusion

• Despite numerous initiatives aimed at addressing their vulnerabilities, PVTGs continue to face significant challenges in accessing government benefits and the PM JANMAN initiative offers an opportunity to improve the lives of these marginalized communities.
• However, overcoming the current obstacles in the registration process and ensuring inclusivity and accessibility are crucial.
• The PM JANMAN scheme represents a chance to change this narrative, but only if the implementation challenges are adequately addressed and the promises made are fulfilled.