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Centre transfers ₹36,659 crore to 16 crore needy during Covid-19 lockdown
The direct benefit transfer (DBT) ensures cash benefit directly credited into the account of the beneficiary, eliminates leakage and improves efficiency. The bank transfer was undertaken through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) office, an arm of the finance ministry.
The Union government has transferred ₹36,659 crore directly in the bank accounts of more than 16 crore poor farmers, labourers and other underprivileged people between March 24 and April 17 to provide relief during the ongoing nation-wide lockdown, the finance ministry said in a statement.
The direct benefit transfer (DBT) ensures cash benefit directly credited into the account of the beneficiary, eliminates leakage and improves efficiency, it said on Sunday. The bank transfer was undertaken through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) office, an arm of the finance ministry.
According to the statement, the government disbursed ₹17,733.53 crore to 8.43 crore farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and ₹5,406.09 crore to 1.55 crore rural workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program (MGNREGA).
The amount transferred also includes benefits under the state government schemes worth ₹9,717 crore involving 4.59 crore beneficiaries, the statement said.
The government has transferred ₹500 in each of 19.86 crore women account holders of Jan Dhan accounts up to till April 13, resulting in disbursement of ₹9,930 crore, data issued by the department of financial services (DFS), an arm of the finance ministry, said.
During the Covid-19 outbreak, several state governments such as Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Tripura, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Andhra Pradesh (AP) used DBT to transfer cash in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
“Through 180 welfare schemes, the state governments using PFMS have disbursed to 4,59,03,908 beneficiaries, an amount of Rs. 9,217.22 crore between March 24, 2020 till April 17, 2020,” the statement said.
