Reducing Delay in Payments in Welfare Programs: Experimental Evidence from an Information Dissemination Intervention
研究评估了一项信息传播干预对印度农村公共工程计划实施的影响，发现该干预显著减少了工资支付延迟和取款次数，并提高了受益人对权益的认知。
Abstract This paper assesses the impact of an information dissemination intervention on the local-level implementation of the rural public works program in India. One key feature of the intervention is to provide information to workers once their wages get credited into their accounts. Using administrative and survey data, its impact on delays in wage payments and days of work along with the awareness levels of the entitlements is evaluated. The findings indicate a substantial reduction in payment delays and in trips made for wage withdrawal, in addition to improvements in awareness. The decrease in the payment delays in the treated villages persists even beyond the intervention period. While a limited impact on work days is observed during the intervention, a significant increase in the post-intervention period is found. The findings substantiated through qualitative evidence provide a platform for an innovative and cost-effective intervention to improve the implementation of social protection programs.