2016年-世界发展银行全球_Continuous_Improvement___Strengthening_Georgias_Targeted_Social_Assistance_Program_187页_5mb

Summary of "Continuous Improvement: Strengthening Georgia's Targeted Social Assistance Program"

Core Content

This document provides an in-depth analysis of the reform of Georgia's Targeted Social Assistance (TSA) program and the introduction of the Child Benefit Program (CBP). It outlines the rationale, methodology, and outcomes of the reform, with a focus on improving targeting efficiency, transparency, and coverage. The report is a collaborative effort between the World Bank Group (WBG) and UNICEF, with support from the Georgian government, particularly the Ministry of Labor, Health, and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) and the Social Services Agency (SSA).

Main Views and Key Information

Objective of the TSA Reform

• The government of Georgia aimed to improve the efficiency and transparency of the TSA program and to ensure it better targeted the poorest populations.
• The reform was initiated in 2013 and implemented in 2015, with compensation measures introduced in August 2015.

TSA Program Overview

• The TSA program uses a proxy means testing (PMT) formula to identify beneficiaries based on household assets rather than income.
• It is one of the most efficient social assistance programs in the region, covering 12% of Georgia's households in 2013.
• Coverage in the bottom quintile was 48%, and in the bottom decile, 71%.
• Benefit incidence was 53%, lifting 6% of the population out of extreme poverty.
• Without the TSA, extreme poverty would have been 9.7%, but it was reduced to 3.9%.

Technical Improvements

• The PMT formula was revised to enhance targeting accuracy.
• The Needs Index was recalculated to better reflect the actual consumption requirements of households.
• The Child Benefit Program (CBP) was introduced as a new targeted initiative to support families with children.

Fiscal and Distributional Impacts

• The TSA program accounts for 14% of total social spending in Georgia, making it the third largest social expenditure after social pensions and education.
• Georgia spends 1.2% of GDP on social assistance, which is slightly below the regional average of 1.8%.
• The reform had distributional effects, with some groups being winners and others losers depending on their income level, social status, and demographic characteristics.

Winners and Losers

• The reform affected different social and demographic groups differently.
• Extensive margin losers (those who were previously eligible but no longer are) and intensive margin losers (those who remain eligible but receive less) were identified.
• Winners were mainly those who were previously under-covered or had incorrect benefit levels.
• The compensation measures were introduced to address these distributional impacts.

Implementation and Pretesting

• A pretesting phase was conducted to evaluate the impact of the new PMT formula and CBP.
• The pretest results were used to refine the program and ensure it met the needs of the most vulnerable.
• The implementation process was improved through better administrative and business processes, including software upgrades and simplification of procedures.

Challenges and Concerns

• Concerns included outdated data, subjective assessments by social agents, and household misreporting of assets.
• There were worries about work disincentives, which were studied in a regional effort involving four case studies.
• The nontaxable minimum income was introduced in 2014 but later annulled by the Ministry of Finance in 2016.

Recommendations

• The report recommends continued improvement of the technical design of the TSA program.
• It suggests further evaluation of the PMT formula and the Needs Index every five years due to changing consumption patterns.
• The compensation measures should be reviewed and adjusted as needed to ensure fairness.
• The institutional memory and technical capacity of the program must be strengthened to support future reforms and policy actions.

Key Findings

• TSA Performance: Despite its efficiency, the program had issues with outdated data and potential manipulation.
• PMT Formula: The new PMT formula improved targeting accuracy and reduced leakage and undercoverage.
• CBP Introduction: The Child Benefit Program was designed to complement the TSA and better address the needs of families with children.
• Fiscal Impact: The TSA is a significant part of Georgia’s social spending but remains below the regional average.
• Coverage and Poverty Reduction: The TSA covers 13% of the population and reduces extreme poverty by 6 percentage points.
• Distributional Effects: The reform had uneven effects, with some groups benefiting more than others.
• Compensation Measures: These were necessary to mitigate negative impacts on certain populations.

Structure of the Report

The report is divided into 10 chapters, covering:

1. Introduction and background
2. Data and definitions
3. Revision of the PMT formula
4. Revision of the Needs Index
5. The new scheme of TSA benefits and the CBP
6. Winners and losers of the TSA program
7. Winners from the CBP
8. Pretesting of the TSA program
9. Compensation measures
10. The way forward for a comprehensive social protection and labor system

It also includes:

• Boxes summarizing key concepts and methodologies
• Figures and tables presenting data on poverty incidence, benefit distribution, and program performance
• Appendices detailing data sources, subcomponents of the Needs Index, and a glossary

Conclusion

The report emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement in social assistance programs, particularly in terms of targeting accuracy, transparency, and efficiency. It highlights the need for technical evaluation, data updates, and institutional strengthening to ensure the program remains effective and equitable in the long term. The collaboration between UNICEF and the World Bank Group has played a crucial role in supporting Georgia's efforts to reform and improve its social assistance system.