SARATHI App: A Technological Leap for Inclusive Rural Development by Ministry of Rural Development

The Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, Shailesh Kumar Singh, launched the ‘SARATHI’ app at Krishi Bhawan on January 25. It is a significant move towards leveraging technology for the welfare of the most vulnerable. The app, developed in collaboration with The/Nudge Institute, aims to serve as a national tech solution to facilitate strategic interventions for the benefit of marginalized communities. He acknowledged the seamless integration of SARATHI into the LokOS system, reinforcing its potential as a transformative tool for rural development.

Key Partnership with The/Nudge Institute:  

Shailesh Kumar Singh highlighted the importance of saturation and inclusion as the Ministry's key priorities. The SARATHI app has been developed in partnership with The/Nudge Institute and will be immediately deployed in six states where special projects, funded by DAY-NRLM’s Innovation, are underway for 24,000 of the most vulnerable households.

Role of Technology in Graduation Program:

Addressing the gathering, Joint Secretary of Rural Livelihoods, Smriti Sharan, emphasized the multi-faceted role that technology can play in the timely and effective implementation of the Graduation program. She stressed the importance of strong monitoring to ensure the delivery of benefits to end beneficiaries and highlighted the need for automated tools to reduce the risk of errors, act promptly, and ease administrative burdens on teams.

Presentation on SARATHI Tech Solution:

John Paul, Senior Director of the Center for Rural Development at The/Nudge Institute, provided a detailed presentation on the development journey of the SARATHI tech solution. The presentation outlined how the app aims to reduce cognitive and administrative loads, ensuring transparency in the process. Real-time usage of the app minimizes the risk of leakage of support and allows for consistent monitoring and tracking of livelihood planning and progress.

Community Voices and State Testimonies:

Voices from the community and states further validated the effectiveness of the SARATHI app. Sarada Sarkar, a community resource person from Tripura, shared how the app increased the efficiency of her work in selecting vulnerable households and conducting surveys. Dr. Dipayan Ghosh, the Chief Operating Officer of Tripura SRLM, praised SARATHI's accuracy in targeting vulnerable households and the quality of analytics displayed on the dashboard.

In his concluding remarks, Secretary Singh expressed confidence in the SARATHI tech solution, citing the positive testimonials from community members and state representatives.