Direct Benefits Transfer scheme launch today in 20 districts

ON the eve of the launch of its ambitious Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) programme, the government Monday announced that the welfare plan will be rolled out in 20 districts and cover seven schemes, mostly scholarships, to benefit more than 2 lakh people.

The programme will expand to another 11 districts on February 1 and 12 more districts will be added on March 1. A total of 43 districts in 16 states have been identified for the first round of DBT that will cover 26 social welfare schemes.

Announcing the launch, Finance minister P Chidambaram sounded a note of caution saying there may be some teething problems and technical glitches as the flagship scheme takes off. The minister also said that at this stage there was no attempt to shift transfer of food, fertiliser, kerosene or LPG subsidy to the DBT mode as these were complex issues that can only be addressed when the government is fully confident of their amenability to DBT.

"Seven schemes are ready for roll out from tomorrow. I am confident that all beneficiaries in the 20 districts have a bank account. Every effort is being made to ensure that all beneficiary accounts are seeded with the Aadhaar number...credit into account will take place whether the Aadhaar is seeded or not," Chidambaram said.

The minister said that the scheme should get a "fair trial" and a verdict on its failure or success should not be pronounced right away as it is a "huge new experiment" and all efforts are being made to ensure it works. It is a game-changer in terms of governance, payment of money and payment without any human intervention, Chidambaram said.

He also said that the scheme would be formally called Direct Benefits Transfer and not Direct Cash Transfer as there were certain schemes which were not necessarily backed by cash. The slogan "Aapka paisa, Aapke haath", however, will stay as it conveys the meaning effectively.

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