Social Security Platform (SSP)

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), initiated as a major reform process, enables cash/benefits to be transferred directly in the bank accounts of beneficiaries, preferably Aadhaar seeded. This has been responsible for cutting several layers in the delivery process. It envisages achieving accurate targeting of beneficiaries, reduction of de-duplication and fraud thereby improving efficiency in delivery process and greater inclusion by curbing leakage.

Today, the scope of DBT is universal. The current DBT architecture was laid down by issuing several instructions regarding Aadhaar seeding in beneficiaries' database and bank accounts, payment advice by implementing agencies to banks, use of PFMS, and instructions to banks on DBT etc.

In December 2015, CDFI developed the concept of a comprehensive framework of a ‘Social Security Platform’ for citizen alongwith the DBT Mission and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. CDFI in collaboration with the DBT Mission held a workshop on the SSP on 3rd February, 2016. CDFI’s support to the DBT Mission has encompassed development of the SSP framework, finalization of the implementation approach, and support for discussions on the subject with various government ministries and departments.

The consulting framework for SSP implementation, facilitated positioning of a consulting firm to expand the scope of DBT and to develop a DBT Portal. The concept is now adequately disseminated and Government of India is actively considering setting up a Social Registry. SSP is envisioned to be a centralized platform with decentralized management, processes and applications.

At the core of SSP will be a Unified Household Database (UHD). UHD can be created by combining the updated National Population Register (NPR) and the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data. This combination will give the demographic, ration card and the socio economic profile of the household along with the details of the individual family members of the household with their Aadhaar and the Mobile numbers. This initial data can be further cleaned and incremented by linking against the scheme databases such as the Ration card database, NREGA database etc., peripheral systems such as PFMS and State databases such as Samagraha, Bhamashah etc.

The access to private and the confidential data of the households and the individuals in the UHD will be controlled based on the type of entity and the nature of the data.

Benefits

Beneficiaries: SSP will provide the following benefits to the beneficiaries

  • Convenience – Facility to update data locally. Once data is updated, all subscribing programmes / schemes can automatically get the updated information thereby eliminating the need to visit multiple departments to update the same data.
  • Access - to their Information e.g. household details, demographic details, JAM details, benefits being availed etc.
  • Empowerment and Transparency – Beneficiaries will be able to assess benefits they are entitled to. The DBT Portal can have linkages to SSP and other relevant systems that will enable citizens to track their payment credits, rejections and history.

Government: SSP will benefit the Government in the following

  • Planning – Government can proactively plan infrastructure, resources and capacity. For instance Government will be able to plan infrastructure such as schools; health institutions etc. based on aggregated statistics available from the platform.
  • Inclusion–Government can identify disparities by population segment and geography and make social welfare more inclusive.
  • Enhancing Awareness – Government can create and enhance awareness about new schemes / programmes, benefits under existing schemes / programmes, sanitation, natural disaster related information, nutrition for maternal and child health etc.
  • Transforming Social Welfare and Delivery mechanism– Government can quickly roll out new social welfare schemes / programmes based on current needs (e.g. health, education etc.), embrace efficient supply chains (e.g. financial supply chain like DBT), create dynamic entitlements and portable benefits (e.g. PDS and ICDS benefits on temporary relocation), give benefits to affected citizens when most needed (e.g. drought, Chennai floods etc.).

DBT and SSP together will thus enable efficient governance through better targeting of social welfare programmes

Blogs

  • Backbone Of Welfare: The Social Security Platform

    Backbone Of Welfare: The Social Security Platform

    25 Jun 2016

    As the Indian economy grows larger, it becomes imperative for the state to protect its most vulnerable citizens, promote desirable behaviors and incentivize development in key areas. Thus, we see arrangements protecting citizens

  • The vision behind the Social Security Platform

    The vision behind the Social Security Platform

    19 Feb 2016

    In the last few years, the government’s benefit design and delivery mechanism has undergone significant changes particularly with the inception of Aadhaar and the increase in mobile phone usage and improved connectivity across the country. T

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