Modi Govt Transfers ₹ 36,000 Crore to 16 Crore People’s Bank Accounts – JAM

Amid the Coronavirus crisis in the country, the government has transferred Rs 36,659 crore directly into the bank accounts of around 16.01 crore beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The total DBT has increased to 45 per cent in 2019-20 compared to the 22 per cent in 2018-19, due to COVID-19 lockdown.

Further, DBT payments under all the central sponsored schemes such as PM KISAN, Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme, Prime Minister’s Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), and so on have amounted to over Rs 27,442 crore in the bank accounts of over 11.42 crore beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, several states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and others have used DBT to transfer cash into the bank accounts of over 4 crore beneficiaries.

The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) ensures that the cash benefit is directly transferred into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Further, it also helps to improve efficiency and eliminates leakage.
Centre transfers Rs 500 per month to 20cr women

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the DBT package in which it was mentioned that 20 Crore Women Jan Dhan holders will get an ex-gratia of Rs 500 per month for the next 3 months. The Centre had started remitting Rs 500 per month in all the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) account holders from April 3. Reportedly, there were around 19.86 crore women beneficiaries till April 13.

Centre’s relief package

On April 3, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a relief package for the poor and the affected persons due to the deadly Coronavirus. According to the minister, the package is worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore, under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). Sitharaman had added that the government is looking at two aspects- cash transfer and food security-related issues. Reportedly, several payments have also been done under this scheme.

In his LinkedIn post on Sunday, PM Modi had also hailed the virtues of the JAM trinity – (Jan Dhan – Aadhaar – Mobile) which enabled direct benefit transfer versus the previous system of leakages.

Here’s what the Prime Minister wrote:

When we got the opportunity to serve in 2014, we started connecting Indians, especially the poor with their Jan Dhan Account, Aadhar & Mobile number. This seemingly simple connection has not only stopped corruption and rent seeking that was going on for decades, but has also enabled the Government to transfer money at the click of a button. This click of a button has replaced multiple levels of hierarchies on the file and also weeks of delay.

India has perhaps the largest such infrastructure in the world. This infrastructure has helped us tremendously in transferring money directly and immediately to the poor and needy, benefiting crores of families, during the COVID-19 situation.

Source: RepublicWorld