Citizen Access to Benefits (CAB)

What is the Issue?
Government of India (both centre & state), NGOs provide multiple schemes, grants, support and subsidies which often go unclaimed due to lack of guidance and awareness among the underserved.
The poor and uneducated are mostly unaware of the benefits they are entitled to. There exists a wide gap between policy design, implementation and access.

What is ET doing?
Empower Tamizhagam’s CAB – Citizen Access to Benefits tries to bridge this gap and ensure the poor and underserved get fast-track benefits. 

• CAB field assistance centre mobile teams engage at the village level. They guide farmers, women, small businesses, physically/mentally challenged, SHGs etc by providing information about their Rights and benefits.
  
• Farmer Livelihood ‘FarmX’ project – reducing costs, access to benefits & credit, market facilitation, FPC/FPO (Farmer Producer Company/Organisation)

• Anyone can walk into a CAB centre, enter their information and walk out with a list of eligible govt and non govt entitlements – insurance, grants, startup funds, farming subsidies, scholarships etc. 

• CAB works with CSCs (Common Service Centers), Bureaucrats, NGOs to streamline the process for better reach/access of benefits to the poor.
  
• Community enhancement programs and channeling govt efforts to generate employment, addressing local issues – community hall construction.

Our Previous Work:

• One-stop camp organised for the Differently-Abled in Kanchipuram district, TN, India.
  Based on eligibility – forms were filled, signed by respective govt departments and by the end of the day benefits were allotted, which would have otherwise been an elaborate task for the Differently-Abled and their families.

• Construction of public community hall to decrease the out of pocket expenditure of local communities (Pallavaram, Tamil Nadu, India).

Goals:

• Phase-1 aids over 200,000 farmers, rural poor, differently-abled, women and children in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, India.
• Extend CAB centres throughout Tamil Nadu state such that the majority of the population can access welfare benefits and improve their livelihood.
• Exponentially increase the number of people who will benefit from the program. 
• Share our govt program information platform across India. 

Our Previous Work:

• Saved Cantonment slum settlement from Defence Colony demolition. Relocation assistance, and intervention with Cantonment Military Management.

• ‘Help your Help’ program created awareness amongst employers to guide and pay for their employees with govt insurance schemes at just Rs.330 & Rs.12.
  Govt. of India – Life Insurance Scheme (PMJJBY)
  Govt. of India – Accident Insurance Scheme (PMSBY)