Managing social grant for poor people properly especially in the time of life threatening crisis

Let’s start the discussion with the modern banking system and smart currency concept like paper money.

Where there was no bank, people who have deficit need spend time, energy, money to find the people who have surplus fund and want to borrow them. Not only that the persons in crisis were not sure about getting their required amount of debt from a single person and they might need to approach more than one person to manage their complete amount. But after banks arise, people having surplus   put their extra money there and people in deficit also go to the same place for borrowing. As a result, society’s welfare increased   as individuals, families, organizations, factories can mediate and arrange their much needed funds at the quickest time possible to utilize that for producing for the same society also at the quickest time possible and sell cheaply.

Now take an example of the transport system. People need to spend boring time to find their preferred vehicle while on the street. Also there was a chance of conflict about fare, exact distance, number of people or goods to be carried and other issues. But because of simple mobile apps like UBER ,Pathao, life has become easier. People can decide easily sitting in their drawing room and at the end, nobody is unhappy. As a result, society’s overall welfare is  maximized.

Another good example is the food industry. Previously, if we think of takeaway food, we just can get those from professional food preparing hotel and restaurants. People in need of food have to visit those places physically to order for their preferred items from the menu, resulting in increased cost in terms of time, money, energy and conflicts. But when simple mobile apps like UBER EATS,PATHAO FOODSs get the food vendors and buyers together, the problem eases a lot and society’s welfare increases. The wonderful things start to happen when mass households prepare foods not only for their daily needs but also sell some portion for other persons or families who need those or do not have much time to prepare those. Things get much comfortable, cost effective, and efficient when ride sharing companies or others like FOOD PANDA arrange to ship the foods ordered home cheaply at the earliest. Again society’s welfare goes up and efficiency is increased as a whole.

The previous three stories are the examples of social technologies. Social technologies are the systems or arrangements to get the general mass organized in pursuit of a goal or goals.

The purpose of this article is not to make research paper about social technologies but to find any means possible for the poorest section of the country to support in any form in a time like lockdown which the country or world as a whole has not seen in the century.

The question : can we  arrange for any social technologies similar to above mentioned stories to feed or support hundreds of thousands of ultra poor people.

The number of rich people is on the increase more than ever. People have a positive mental attitude to  give donations for the destitute but the problem is the wealthy people do not know who are much needy to support instantly or the poorest also do not know who want to donate or who have that kindness. This lack of social connection, disorganization punishes the poor in terms of money, energy ,health, time  and at the same time  creates an inertia for the able people to come forward. This means a longer lasting tyranny for the poorer class. The matter has become forefront especially in a time like country-wide lock down to control the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of people are at the threat of famine or long term hunger, resulting in death, malnutrition, birth of immature babies, rise of criminal activities, social disorder, spread of other diseases and death from other diseases etc.

If we have enough to feed the poor for a year then it has to be made sure that it has been properly organized so that the much needed rations be able to reach the real poor. There is no alternative to social technologies as described at the beginning for the best organization. It will ensure proper distribution and stop dishonest people from stealing. it will ease the pressure from the government as general people from the rich class will join no doubt. It will help to channelize the donations from a specific location to the same location’s poor people. A specific place’s total number of destitute poor people will be registered and that place’s donors also will be registered. it has to be  decentralized and  well organized system like other social technologies.     Even fund or grants from foreign sources can be managed using the same platform.

The country has been in lockdown for only 7 days. Nobody knows how long it will continue or how long it will take to control COVID-19 outbreak. Under this circumstance, we have lot of rich kind people who want to help the poor. If this can be organized properly, society’s welfare will certainly increase, ultra poor people will survive, assistance will reach at the quickest, proper amount of help can be assessed for the right person. When these people will be fed properly, country can concentrate properly on fighting COVID-19.We are optimistic like other issues. We have made many good things possible. Like other sectors, we will hopefully be able to manage our  social grants properly to channelize those to the poor people most efficiently and ensure their survival.(Self)