Why last-mile governance determines the success of public welfare systems
Author: Ashi Sharma, Associate Consultant and Unnimaya Raj, Senior Consultant at Tarutium Global Consulting
In conversations about public welfare, attention often gravitates toward ambitious policy designs, budgetary commitments, and digital platforms meant to improve efficiency. Yet, the true success of welfare schemes is decided far from policy corridors and dashboards. It unfolds in villages, anganwadi centres, health sub-centres, and local government offices—where frontline workers translate intent into action. Often under-recognized, these workers form the human backbone of welfare delivery, bridging institutional systems and community realities. Their role extends well beyond implementation; it lies in building trust, navigating local complexities, and ensuring that policies reach those they are designed to serve.
Not Just Implementers—They Are Policy Interpreters
Frontline workers wear many hats. They are educators, mobilizers, troubleshooters, data collectors, and sometimes, crisis responders. In India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Anganwadi Workers provide nutrition and pre-school care for millions of children. But their role extends well beyond feeding programs—they counsel young mothers, follow up on immunisations, and identify early signs of malnourishment. Their involvement can make the difference between a child slipping through the cracks or receiving timely support.
Similarly, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers, who form the foundation of India’s rural health outreach, operate on an incentive-based system, earning between ₹2,000 and ₹6,000 a month. Despite this modest pay, they handle complex tasks—mobilizing communities for institutional deliveries, conducting health surveys, distributing medicines, and supporting vaccination drives.
The Number Analytics report highlights that over 70% of service quality in public-facing roles depends on human interaction rather than just technical skills. This is especially true in welfare, where cultural acceptance, language fluency, and relational trust are crucial for participation in schemes like Ayushman Bharat or PMAY.
Tech as an Enabler, Not a Substitute
The digitalization of welfare schemes is crucial—but frontline workers are the ones who support this transformation. As platforms like PM-KISAN, Jan Dhan, and e-Shram digitize enrollment and payments, community-level workers assist citizens with authentication, documentation, and mobile apps—often using their own devices or paying out-of-pocket for printing or internet.
The Zoho Workplace article highlights that supporting frontline workers with intuitive digital tools boosts efficiency by over 20%. For example, mobile apps like ASHA Soft or ICDS-CAS have simplified data collection, yet many workers still face usability issues and lack proper training. Without their buy-in and ongoing digital capacity-building, technology-driven welfare risks becoming exclusionary.
A real-world example comes from Jharkhand, where a local block official designed a simplified WhatsApp-based reporting system for Anganwadi workers during COVID-19. This allowed real-time updates on rations, child health indicators, and beneficiary reach—all from the workers’ mobile phones—demonstrating how bottom-up innovation can boost efficiency.
The Emotional Labour Behind Welfare
Beyond physical tasks, frontline workers offer emotional support—comforting grieving families, encouraging hesitant mothers, or mediating between caste-divided communities. Yet, this emotional labor remains largely unseen and unmeasured.
According to SHRM, frontline burnout increased by 28% during the pandemic, with mental fatigue, isolation, and a lack of systemic support as key factors. In India, many ASHAs and Anganwadi workers continued working during lockdowns without PPE, hazard pay, or transport reimbursements. Several states even saw protests demanding recognition, regular salaries, and social security benefits.
In 2022, thousands of ASHAs in Haryana and Maharashtra went on strike. Their demands weren’t just about pay; they also sought dignity, training, and a voice in policymaking. These movements highlight a key truth: unless the emotional and physical toll of frontline work is recognised, we risk systemic fatigue and disillusionment.
Participation in Feedback, Not Just Compliance
Too often, welfare systems treat frontline workers as mere data entry points rather than active problem solvers. As per Prachi CP’s Module 11, field functionaries are rarely involved in planning meetings, program evaluations, or system redesign. Yet, their ground insights can foster significant innovation.
Take the case of the Swachh Bharat Mission in Odisha. District administrators noticed that sanitation awareness campaigns weren’t reaching remote tribal pockets. It was a frontline health worker who suggested integrating the campaign with local festivals, leading to better engagement and uptake.
Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh’s tribal districts, Anganwadi workers co-developed pictorial growth charts for illiterate parents—an innovation that enhanced child monitoring and community understanding. These small but impactful changes happen when workers are seen as partners, not just protocol followers.
Intersectionality: Gender, Class, and Caste Realities
It is also crucial to consider the intersectional aspects of frontline work. Most of India’s frontline workforce, especially in health and nutrition, consists of women from marginalized communities. Their lived experiences—patriarchal norms, safety concerns, caste-based discrimination—further increase their professional challenges.
For example, in many rural blocks, Anganwadi workers report being verbally abused or dismissed by male officials or community members, especially when they try to enforce health protocols or address gender-based issues. Despite these challenges, these women keep showing up every day—because they see the positive impact they make in their own neighborhoods.
Investing in these women is not charity – it’s smart policy.
The Road Ahead: Empower, Protect, Integrate
If we are serious about building resilient and equitable welfare systems, then empowering frontline workers must be central to reform. This includes:
- Fair and timely compensation, with honorarium structures reviewed at national levels.
- Institutionalized training, including digital literacy, data ethics, grievance redressal, and leadership.
- Health insurance, job security, and protective measures, especially during crises.
- Inclusion in program feedback loops, MIS dashboards, and scheme design consultations.
- Peer support networks and mental health services to address burnout.
As the HRD Connect article rightly points out, frontline workers perform best when they feel valued, informed, and heard. Welfare is not just about delivery – it’s about dignity.
From Footnote to Forefront
Frontline workers do not just deliver government schemes – they deliver trust, hope, and resilience. They are not “last-mile” employees—they are the first face of the state for millions of citizens. Their strength lies in community understanding, adaptive skills, and everyday innovation. And yet, their potential remains vastly underutilized.
If India wants to build inclusive, future-ready welfare ecosystems, it must invest in the very people who make the system human. Recognizing and resourcing frontline workers is not just a moral obligation – it is the most strategic step we can take toward lasting impact.
Reference:
- https://www.numberanalytics.com/blog/power-of-frontline-workers
- https://www.hrdconnect.com/2024/04/17/unlocking-the-potential-of-frontline-workers-in-the-evolving-workplace/
- https://www.zoho.com/workplace/articles/frontline-workers.html
- https://prachicp.com/tarunya/assets/module-11.pdf
- https://www.shrm.org/in/topics-tools/news/all-things-work/plight-front-line-workers
