Integrated social registry for differently abled in Tamil Nadu soon

CHENNAI: In a bid to enhance transparency and effective implementation of the welfare schemes, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to develop an Integrated Social Registry Platform and Management Information System (MIS) platform for differently abled persons.

At present, the State is implementing the TN RIGHTS project under the Directorate for Welfare of the Differently Abled (DWDA) assisted by World Bank funds to strengthen the department to promote inclusion, accessibility, and opportunities for disabilities. The project is being implemented at an outlay of Rs 1,773.87 crore, and also focusses on strengthening the social protection systems and capability of the State for this purpose.

A senior official from the DWDA told DT Next that In Tamil Nadu’s context, among the many social protection programmes, they have very basic systems to manage digitised beneficiary registries and continue to rely on paper-based lists that are archived at the local level. Pointing out that these programmes collect and use individual and household level basic identification, demographic, and socio-economic information through separate manual forms, he said that, however, in the absence of an interoperability functionality and data exchange mechanisms, there is a major challenge in sharing and monitoring data across projects which result in inefficiencies, lack of standardization of data, and reduced oversight capabilities”.

Stating that the broader role that the new integrated platform is expected to fulfil is twofold, he said that first, to improve the process for identification of differently abled persons of interest for multiple programs, the intake and registration, and assessment of needs will be through the use of a single or integrated registration form.

According to the official, the new system will have the functionality to track and manage citizen application form intake through various methods (online, mobile app, walk-in to local offices). He said an integrated MIS will also play a crucial role in streamlining service delivery processes and monitoring the impact of interventions.

“Along with Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) software experts, an IT company will also be hired to likely complete this project this year-end,” he added.