Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, July 8: To ensure transparency in execution of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the State Government has volunteered for implementation of Direct Transfer Scheme (DBT) scheme, wherein benefits including cash and subsidy will be directly transferred to the account of lakhs of beneficiaries across the State.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that as part of the pilot project in the first phase, six districts including Jammu, Srinagar, Rajouri, Ganderbal, Leh, Kargil would be covered and lakhs of beneficiaries of these districts would get the financial assistance direct through various banks via e-banking. The administration has involved nationalized banks like Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Jammu and Kashmir Bank to play their vital role in the successful implementation of these schemes on ground.
“The reason for including these districts in the Financial Inclusion Plan (FIP) is that most of them have better banking connectivity than several other districts and large percentage of beneficiaries residing in these districts have opened their bank accounts. Besides, the Deputy Commissioners in these respective districts have geared up their efforts for making list of beneficiaries and have directed their field officials to convince them to open their bank accounts”, sources said.
They elaborated that the State Government has fixed July 31 as deadline for doing basic groundwork for implementation of these schemes. “Efforts are being made to generate the list of beneficiaries in the shortest possible time and ensure that the scheme is implemented in letter and spirit so that the benefit percolates down to the deserving persons”, sources added.
Dwelling further, sources said, “while at the national levels, about 26 schemes are already in the implementation stage, through this process, the State has initially opted for few schemes of Social Welfare Department, Education Department and National Rural Health Mission in the pilot project”, adding, “after the successful run of these schemes, efforts would be initiated to incorporate the rest of schemes”.
The guidelines for successful implementation of scheme was also recently discussed in a high level meeting, which was addressed by Principal Secretary Finance, B B Vyas and Additional Secretary, Financial Services, Government of India. The meeting was also attended by Principal Secretary Higher Education, K B Aggarwal, Commissioner Secretary Health, Commissioner Secretary, School Education, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare and District Development Commissioners of Jammu, Ganderbal, Kargil, Leh, Srinagar and Rajouri.
“As per the plan, after the successful implementation of the pilot project, similar modus operandi shall be followed in the remaining 17 districts of the State by July 2014”, sources asserted.
“The DCs have been told to submit the detailed list of all the beneficiaries of these schemes in their districts to the Lead Bank Manager, who would play key role in execution of these schemes. Thereafter the entire information shall be integrated with the Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS) to enable online monitoring of the entire process”, sources asserted.
Sources added, “earlier funds used to tickle down from the Planning Commission to State and thereafter to district and Directorate level. Once the DBT system is put in place, funds will be directly transferred to the account of beneficiaries bringing an end to all the intermediaries”.
The most important feature of the DBT is that it shall put an end to all possible channels of pilferage in the system and all funds will be electronically transferred to the beneficiaries.
It is pertinent to mention that the DBT involving 26 schemes had been rolled out on January 1, 2013 in different parts of country. The purpose of DBT is to ensure that benefits got to individuals’ bank accounts electronically, minimizing tiers involved in fund flow thereby reducing delay in payments, ensuring accurate targeting of the beneficiary and curbing pilferage and duplication.
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