NEW DELHI: The Indian government is working on directly transferring cash to the bank accounts of millions of poor people who often become victims of fraud and theft in the government distribution system covering social schemes.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday handed over the government’s unique identity number card for the purpose to a villager at a symbolic function in the western Indian state of Rajasthan.
Though no time limit has been set for covering all the 28 Indian states, the government already has started pilot projects for the electronic transfer of money in eight states.
Singh said nearly 240 million Indians had received the government identity cards in the past two years. The new policy will cover schemes like employment wages, student scholarships, pensions and health insurance.
Indian gov’t to pay subsidies to poor in cash
Indian gov’t to pay subsidies to poor in cash
