Govt reducing DBT schemes’ benefits: NCP

Mumbai: A state plan to cut the number of direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes from the present 62 has raised opposition protest.

The DBT schemes include those for buying textbooks, educational material, animal food, and agricultural equipment for which funds are deposited directly in the beneficiary bank accounts.

The government has appointed a committee with the chief secretary at the helm to reduce the number of items under DBT following complaints that rural beneficiaries face a problem in maintaining accounts that prescribe a minimum balance.

“It was pointed out by local politicians that the DBT account holders cannot always keep the minimum Rs 5,000 in their account. This creates problems in transferring their benefit money or subsidy. Hence a committee is looking into the matter to reduce the number of items,” a planning department official has said.

However, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has slammed the government for reducing the benefit to a few items. “If the government can start zero-balance accounts then they can make a special policy for the DBT accounts. But reducing the benefits

is no solution,” NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.

The DBT mode was introduced with the aim of reforming the welfare delivery system to facilitate simpler and faster flow of funds and to ensure accurate targeting of the beneficiaries, removal of duplication and reduction of fraud, a government statement says.

The DBT mode of payment began on January 1, 2013. The Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar cards and mobile payment banks are DBT enablers, as per the statement.