Direct cash transfer in 20 districts from today
2 Jan 2013 5:25 AM IST
Keeping in mind the 2014 general elections, the UPA government will roll out its ambitious scheme of transferring cash to beneficiaries from Tuesday. The Congress party has made no qualms about the fact that it views this as a game changer for the fortunes of the party.
Finance Minister P Chidamabaram, however, shied from answering whether this scheme would benefit the party in the next general elections. ‘You have to ask this question when I am speaking from the party’s platform,’ he said.
While announcing the roll-out plan, the finance minister informed that 20 districts will be covered on 1 January, 11 districts will be added from 1 February and finally 12 more districts will be added from 1 March. Thus, a total of 43 districts will be covered in the initial phase.
A total of 26 schemes will be covered under the direct benefit transfer scheme. However, on 1 January, the money will be transferred to beneficiaries only in the seven schemes where payment is due and payment for the rest of the schemes will be covered as per their due date. A total of two lakh people are expected to be covered in the initial phase.
He also said subsidies would be transferred to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts if they do not have an Aadhaar number. He added banks have already floated tender for 20 lakh inter-operable micro ATMs to ease the process of transfer of money. Chidamabaram, however, clarified that subsidies relating to LPG, kerosene, diesel, food and fertilisers will not be included in the first phase of the roll-out.
Finance Minister P Chidamabaram, however, shied from answering whether this scheme would benefit the party in the next general elections. ‘You have to ask this question when I am speaking from the party’s platform,’ he said.
While announcing the roll-out plan, the finance minister informed that 20 districts will be covered on 1 January, 11 districts will be added from 1 February and finally 12 more districts will be added from 1 March. Thus, a total of 43 districts will be covered in the initial phase.
A total of 26 schemes will be covered under the direct benefit transfer scheme. However, on 1 January, the money will be transferred to beneficiaries only in the seven schemes where payment is due and payment for the rest of the schemes will be covered as per their due date. A total of two lakh people are expected to be covered in the initial phase.
He also said subsidies would be transferred to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts if they do not have an Aadhaar number. He added banks have already floated tender for 20 lakh inter-operable micro ATMs to ease the process of transfer of money. Chidamabaram, however, clarified that subsidies relating to LPG, kerosene, diesel, food and fertilisers will not be included in the first phase of the roll-out.
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