Government entitlements are often the primary source of social protection for poor households. In Chhattisgarh, IWWAGE – an initiative of LEAD at Krea University – and Haqdarshak Empowerment Solutions Private Limited (HESPL), in collaboration with the State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), are testing a tech-enabled agent-based model to promote awareness and uptake of government entitlements among SHG members and their communities.

Since the project’s inception in August 2019, over 5,000 self-help group (SHG) members have been trained to use a digital application, Haqdarshak, that provides information on more than 200 central and state government welfare schemes and programs, explaining their benefits, eligibility criteria, and application process.

This brief presents insights from a survey of over 400 agents (Haqdarshikas) conducted between September and October 2020.