Facial Recognition in Anganwadis: A Case of Techno-Solutionism vs. Human Dignity
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Social Justice (Welfare schemes - ICDS, NFSA; Vulnerable Sections); Governance (e-Governance - Poshan Tracker); Science & Technology (AI - Facial Recognition).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (Governance & Social Justice): Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population...and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions...for their protection and betterment; Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential.
General Studies Paper 4 (Ethics): Ethics in Public administration; The ethical implications of using surveillance technologies in welfare schemes.
Key Highlights from the News
The article strongly criticizes the government's mandatory use of Facial Recognition Software (FRS) via the Poshan Tracker app for pregnant and lactating mothers to receive Take Home Rations (THR) at Anganwadis.
The stated aim of this measure is to eliminate "fake beneficiaries."
However, the author argues that this technology presupposes beneficiaries and Anganwadi workers (AWW) to be guilty, which is contrary to the principles of natural justice.
Practical Challenges: Deserving individuals are denied benefits due to poor internet connectivity, insufficient capacity of AWWs' phones, errors in facial recognition, and difficulties with e-KYC.
The article criticizes the government for resorting to a techno-solutionism instead of addressing the real issues of the THR scheme (poor food quality, distribution delays, low budget).
Using technology like FRS, typically employed for criminal investigations, to identify vulnerable women and children, infringes upon their dignity and privacy.
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