Many a times, we fail to think about the effects of our present actions in our future. Many a times we only think of future, get worried and resist our present living. Many a times we seek instant rewards while other times we delay the good things that can bring difference in our present. Like I have delayed a lot much of impulsive shopping and eating in a fancy restaurant, in order to save money that could be used for better. On the other side, if I’d emailed something important, or applied somewhere, I feel like getting replied instantly, pushing me to check my mails more frequently.
While I was exploring, why some government schemes get traction and other do not, one of the major insight that I have got is, the beneficiaries of the government schemes want instant benefit and if something is not benefiting them instantly, they delay it, excuse it or rather ignore it. Here I have drawn contrast between two such government schemes in Maharashtra. One is “LADKI BAHNA YOJANA” – a kind of monthly direct monetary benefits in bank account of beneficiary women and the other one is “JEEVAN JYOTI BEEMA YOJANA” – a kind of life insurance at minimum annual cost of 436 Rs with a cover of 2,00,000 Rs during health emergency.
Through one of the GramUrja’s Gram Connect program, aiming governance accessible to rural migrant communities of Beed and Dharashiv districts, it has been found the almost 90% of rural migrant women recieve the monthly benefit from Ladki Behna Yojana, one of the Maharashtra Government Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for women. On a contrast, only 10% of rural communities who are exposed to severe working conditions and various kind of health risks have no awareness of any insurance schemes.
And this made me question why some schemes with instant benefits stand out and other with with delayed benefit is ignored. I tried to understand the issue deeply and came up with some reasoning behind them.
Some DBT schemes like Ladki Bahana Yojana and Ration card yojana – aims to deliver material benefits that are reoccuring in nature, the benefits can be seen and a proper channel has been introduced to ensure effective delivery of benefits. Other reason is more about passing of information, for such schemes that provides instant benefit to the beneficiaries, gives an edge to political visions and plays a role to ensure their wins, and so the people in power try their best efforts to advertise such information in most excluded region. Almost all the hoardings in the corners of the street call out for registration, praising the powerful. The peer learning is seen on the highest levels as the rewards are instantly delivered on a monthly basis. Another point to make here why such schemes are deeply penetrated is about the ease of enrollment. There are little less conditions and almost 80% of the villagers are the beneficiary of these schemes. These schemes also bring ease of accessibility, like having a bank account or a ration card is the minimal requirement and the benefits can be drawn easily.
On the contrary, the delayed benefit schemes like PM JAY – health related schemes and other insurance related schemes, are not penetrated down to grassroots – the real beneficiaries of the schemes. Why? No political advertisement, as it does not benefits the people in power, does not even play a significant role in ensuring political wins. No banners no hoardings calls for the enrollments. Another major reason is the complicated procedures of enrollment in such schemes, and difficulty in accessibility reduces their benefits reaching to masses. The peer learning process also becomes limited as less number of people enrolled in such schemes and even lesser can avail the benefits. The awareness limits such schemes to reach to people.
These are genuine reasons that play their part in penetration of particular government scheme but even more significant is the acceptance of such schemes among masses. Even after rolling out various awareness camps for such schemes, Gram Connect team has recieved resistance for enrollment. Communities lack trust in government machinary or are just driven by the instant gratification or the instant reward. One of the respondents when asked about why he don’t feel like enrolling is such schemes, he responded, “I can fulfill my today’s needs, will see when it’s needed”. Many other respondents shown interest in enrolling in such government schemes after long campaigning.
Instant gratification keeps up the motivation while delayed benefit prepare us better for the emergency conditions. Our life needs a balance between both and a careful decision making while understanding our past, living our present and being prepared for the future. These days, I find people, going in one of the extremes sticking to their past, or just enjoying the present or just being worried so much about future. I am learning how to bring balance through various experiences in life. How are you bringing such balance in your life’s endeavours, mention in the comments.
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