Pitching for direct transfer of food subsidy, Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday asked States to initiate a pilot programme in atleast some districts to pay cash directly to ration card holders.
“The Government is implementing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for lPG subsidy. We wish DBT should be implemented for food subsidy as well,” Paswan said, addressing a state food ministers conference on price rise here.
The direct transfer of food subsidy would enable ration card holders to purchase their choice of foodgrain from the market and also reduce the subsidy bill with reduction in cost of transportation and handling of foodgrains.