Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday admitted that Direct Benefit Transfer — billed as a game changer by the UPA Government and Congress — is facing operational and teething problems especially in tracking and monitoring of funds but decided to include lPG subsidy under it in a phased manner.
At a meeting of the National Committee on DBT, PM admitted that DBT has “run into difficulties that was not anticipated by his government when the programme began. He said its implementation has “revealed the unsatisfactory nature of tracking and monitoring systems we have in various departments.”
Meanwhile, the PM announced that lPG subsidy will be rollout beginning with one district and expanded to 20 districts by May 15, 2013. The subsidy amount being transferred to consumers directly into their bank accounts, lPG cylinders will be sold only at one price at a dealer’s shop which will eliminate all ghost connections and diversion of cylinders.
It also decided to establish a Mission Directorate to have an institutionalised administrative arrangement to enable smooth rollout, early identification of bottlenecks, resolution of bottlenecks and handholding of Ministries/ departments wherever necessary. To facilitate a nationwide rollout of DBT, the Prime Minister approved the creation of a post of Mission Director for DBT who will be assisted by other officers.
Since the phase II of DBT has already been delayed by three months, the government has decided to expand it 78 new districts from July 1. Apart from 26 existing schemes, DBT will now also include three pension schemes meant for widows, old age and disablities.
It was also decided to expanded DBT to Post Offices and schemes run through their accounts from October 1, 2013. Departments have been instructed to start the process of digitisation in all districts, irrespective of the rollout of DBT as this is a critical activity which need not wait.