Govt. identifies 34 schemes for direct cash transfer

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The government is in plans to shift to the Aadhar enabled direct benefit transfer of funds under 34 identified central sector and schemes that are sponsored by the centre.

P Chidambaram, the Finance Minister said, "The central ministries concerned have set up implementation committees on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), which will operationalise transfers with due consultation with state governments and various stakeholders."

The rollout will start in a phased manner with 43 districts from January 1 next year. As reported by PTI, "The scheme was not devised in a hurry. It will not be implemented in a hurry. Our watchword for the scheme is we will not hasten, will implement it slowly, step by step."

The schemes agreeable to the transfers were required to include post-matric and pre-matric scholarships for Scheduled Caste students, pre-matric scholarships for children of those engaged in unclean occupations, merit upgradation for SC students, the national overseas scholarship schemes for SCs, post-matric scholarships for OBCs, national overseas scholarships for OBCs, post-matric scholarships for economically backward class students and for students with disabilities, scholarships for top-class education for students with disabilities, and top-class education schemes and scholarships to universities and college students, according to a PTI report.

"It will lead to seamless transition. We believe that the new system, which we will introduce, will be more transparent. It will eliminate leakages, delays, duplicacies and falsification. Government firmly believes this will introduce a very high degree of efficiency and transparency," said Chidambaram.

Some of the other schemes included in the list are fellowship schemes of the UGC and AICTE, subsidies on fees to students, national means-cum-merit scholarships, national schemes for incentives for the girl child for secondary education, Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship, and Maulana Azad National Fellowship.

Also, the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana, Dhanalakshi Scheme, Janani Suraksha Yojana, scholarships to the children of beedi workers, housing subsidy to beedi workers, stipends to children in special schools under the child labour project, permanent disablement benefits, dependent's benefits, sickness benefits by Employees' State Insurance Corporation and pension withdrawals, reports PTI.