The Performance of Social Pensions in India : The Case of Rajasthan
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World Bank, Washington, DC
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The Government of India has recently
announced a dramatic expansion of social pension schemes
both in terms of coverage and benefit levels. Yet relatively
little is known about how these programs are administered or
how well they achieve their objectives. This paper assesses
the performance of a social pension scheme in the Indian
state of Rajasthan. In particular, the authors review the
experience with respect to program awareness, coverage,
targeting, and leakage as well as delivery mechanisms. The
overall assessment is positive and holds broader lessons for
social assistance in India. Thus, transaction costs once
pensions are sanctioned are low, disbursements are largely
as per schedule, leakage in the form of shortfalls in
benefits is generally low, and satisfaction levels with the
social pension scheme are high. At the same time there are
clear areas for improvement on both the policy and
administration side. There is evidence of under coverage and
high transaction costs associated with the application
process. Though targeting is generally progressive,
especially for old age and widow pensions though less so for
disability pensions, targeting is far from perfect and the
eligibility criteria are not strictly enforced. There is a
strong case for relaxing, rationalizing, and clarifying some
of the existing criteria. On the administration front,
several basic issues relating to implementation need to be
addressed, particularly with respect to transaction costs in
the sanction of pensions, wide inter-district variations in
performance within the state, and inadequate record-keeping
and monitoring.
Palabras clave
ACCOUNTING, BANK ACCOUNTS, BENEFICIARY, BENEFIT LEVEL, BENEFIT LEVELS, BENEFIT PAYMENTS, CASH TRANSFERS, CHECKS, CHRONIC POVERTY, COMPUTERIZATION OF RECORDS, CREDIT PROGRAMS, DECEASED HUSBAND, DEMOGRAPHIC, DISABILITY, DISABILITY PENSION, DISABILITY PENSIONS, DISADVANTAGED GROUPS, DISBURSEMENT, DISBURSEMENTS, DISCRIMINATION, DUMMY VARIABLES, ECONOMIC STATUS, ELDERLY, ELDERLY POPULATION, EXPENDITURE, EXPOSURE, FAMILIES, FAMILY MEMBERS, FEMALE, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS, FRAUD, GENDER, HEALTH INSURANCE, HOLDING, HOLDINGS, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD SIZE, HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RESOURCE, HUSBAND, INCOME SECURITY, INDIVIDUAL PENSIONER, INDIVIDUAL PENSIONERS, LACK OF AWARENESS, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, LIFE INSURANCE, LITERACY, LIVING CONDITIONS, LOCAL AUTHORITIES, MARITAL STATUS, MIGRATION, MINORITY, OLD AGE, OLD-AGE, PENSION AGE, PENSION BENEFICIARIES, PENSION BENEFIT, PENSION BENEFITS, PENSION COVERAGE, PENSION PAYMENT, PENSION PAYMENTS, PENSION PROGRAM, PENSION SCHEME, PENSION SCHEMES, PENSIONER, PENSIONERS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, POLICY CHANGE, POPULATION ESTIMATES, POSITIVE DISCRIMINATION, POST OFFICE, POST OFFICES, PUBLIC FUNDS, PUBLIC PENSIONS, QUALITATIVE INFORMATION, REGULAR PAYMENTS, RESIDENCE, RESPECT, RETURN, RURAL AREAS, RURAL CREDIT, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, RURAL POVERTY, SANCTION, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, SOCIAL GROUP, SOCIAL NETWORKS, SOCIAL PENSION, SOCIAL PENSIONS, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL SECURITY, SOCIAL STATUS, SOCIAL WELFARE, STATE GOVERNMENTS, TRACK RECORD, TRANSACTION, TRANSACTION COSTS, TRANSFER OF FUNDS, TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPORTATION, TREASURIES, TREASURY, URBAN CENTERS, VULNERABILITY, VULNERABLE GROUPS, WIDOW, WIDOWS, WILL