Working Paper: NBER ID: w25298
Authors: Karthik Muralidharan; Paul Niehaus; Sandip Sukhtankar; Jeffrey Weaver
Abstract: Improving “last-mile” public-service delivery is a recurring challenge in developing countries. Could the widespread adoption of mobile phones provide a scalable, cost-effective means for improvement? We use a large-scale experiment to evaluate the impact of phone-based monitoring on a program that transferred nearly a billion dollars to 5.7 million Indian farmers. In randomly-selected jurisdictions, officials were informed that program implementation would be measured via calls with beneficiaries. This led to a 7.6% reduction in the number of farmers who did not receive their transfers. The program was highly cost-effective, costing 3.6 cents for each additional dollar delivered.
Keywords: last-mile service delivery; phone-based monitoring; cash transfers; randomized controlled trial; public service delivery
JEL Codes: C93; D73; H53; O33
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| phone-based monitoring (if implemented statewide) (L96) | additional timely deliveries of funds (E50) |
| phone-based monitoring (L96) | cost-effectiveness of the intervention (O22) |
| phone-based monitoring (L96) | reduction in the number of farmers who did not receive their transfers (J43) |
| phone-based monitoring (L96) | increase in on-time delivery of funds (E50) |
| phone-based monitoring (L96) | increase in likelihood of checks being delivered (L87) |