In a bid to resurrect public distribution system (PDS) in the State, the Jharkhand Government has initiated talks with the Centre to explore the possibilities of rolling out the direct cash transfer (DBT) scheme for kerosene to start with. In this endeavour, Food and Civil Supplies Department has approached the Centre to discuss possibility of rolling out DBT in various other items.
"We have yesterday discussed the idea and arrived to a conclusion that we can start with kerosene distribution to households being distributed through PDS. Though, we feel that there is need to roll out DBT in other items also but the Centre has to agree on this as well," Food and Civil Supplies Minister Saryu Roy told The Pioneer on Friday. While pointing out the objections being raised by the Centre and also from within the State Government in extending the DBT in other items like rice, wheat, sugar etc, Roy explained that as per apprehensions the beneficiaries may not use the money for buying the item meant for that.
"In the case of food grains, the system at this juncture may deprive the poor families from ration which can be proved life threatening for them. Also they would have to depend upon the volatile market and price of such items may go beyond their reach," said the Minister.
Opposition, especially the JVM had demanded for extending the DBT mode to sugar made available through PDS shops, which it thinks is costlier than the market price of the item. "It would have been better if the Government would have provided them money in their accounts as the price of sugar quoted by the supplier for PDS shops across the State is much above the existing market price. This is causing losses to public as well as the Government," JVM Pradeep Yadav had said during discussion in the Monsoon Session of the Assembly.
Notably, after initial hiccups, the Centre has been successful in rolling out DBT in cooking gas throughout the country which has plugged pilferage to a considerable extent. The success is possibly behind its desired extension for kerosene, considered amongst of the most black-marketed items.
However, most basic thing for the success of BDT is the status of Aadhaar number seeding of the beneficiaries with their bank accounts. "Though we have considerable amount of Aadhaar cardholders here but their seeding is not up to the mark. During the deliberation, we arrived to conclusion that on pilot basis we can start DBT in kerosene from Ramgarh district which is also in the good books of the Centre's list of districts. Though, we have to remove several duplications arising before going ahead," added Roy.
Another area which, the Minister said, is yet to be worked out is the role of the Indian Oil which supplies kerosene to State quota for its PDS shops. "If we go for BDT in kerosene it would end their supply chain for the item. We are exploring the ways to handle the issue amicably," said Saryu Roy.