Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme gets into Guinness Records: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the government's "Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme" has received a place in the Guinness World Records as the largest direct benefit transfer scheme.

"It gives me immense pleasure to announce that the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme has recently found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and it has been implemented successfully," he said during his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat'. 

As of now, already Rs.40,000 crore has been transferred to the accounts of the beneficiaries through different schemes, the prime minister said. 

"I believe about 35-40 schemes are being integrated with the direct benefit transfer scheme," he said. 

"With the help of Jan Dhan Yojana and Aadhaar card, through the largest direct benefit transfer scheme, the subsidies are directly getting deposited in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries," Modi said.

"Till November, at least 15 crore lPG users have benefited from 'Pahal' scheme. We used to get a lot of complaints with regard to NREGA wages. In a few places, now the money is getting deposited in the accounts of the beneficiary. We have started direct benefit transfer scheme in providing students' scholarships as well," he added.

Pahal or Pratyaksha Hastantarit laabh, formerly the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for lPG subsidy, is a scheme for direct transfer of subsidy to consumers for liquefied petroleum gas (lPG). 

"The schemes should not be made to look like half-dead in the files. It should reach out to the last person in the country. The schemes are made for the poorest of the poor," Modi added.