Paper short abstract:

National biometric systems have been launched in developing countries to improve the delivery of subsidies to marginalised communities. Drawing on the case of Aadhaar, this paper investigates the role of sub-national government agencies in improving governance and promoting development.

Paper long abstract:

National biometric identity systems are a recent e-governance reform initiative that aims to provide a platform for implementing social welfare programmes in developing countries. However, beyond providing a unique identity to those previously excluded from social welfare benefits and reducing leakages in the system, little is known about the benefits that have accrued to local communities. India's biometric identity system, Aadhaar, is a major initiative aimed at improving subsidy dispersal to disadvantaged communities and in this paper, we investigate a fertiliser subsidy distribution system which has been piloted in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Our findings emphasize the important role of sub-national government agencies and local institutions in enacting processes necessary for improving fertiliser subsidy dispersal. At the policy level, while the financing and regulatory frameworks for biometric identity systems is centralised, it is the knowledge and resources of local agencies that is crucial for governance reform of social welfare programs to occur.