The government’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme which was launched in January, has spread to 121 districts across the country. Union finance minister P Chidambaram recently informed that the programme is being implemented at a rapid pace. In an interview, the finance minister highlights the aspects and progress made on the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme.
“The DBT is a game-changer and the roll-out of the scheme will be uneven. The Aadhaar scheme is only to deposit cash into banks. The goal is to ensure that all payments for DBT must move via the Aadhaar channel,” Chidambaram added.
The subsidy on LPG could easily be transferred and direct transfer of 80 percent LPG subsidy is doable, he explained. “The transfer of the LPG subsidy will be biggest test of the Direct Cash Transfer plan.”
Highlighting that the government will be able to roll-out direct LPG subsidy in more districts, he pointed that the LPG direct cash transfer scheme was formed to eliminate the creation of duplicate bank accounts.
