Finance minister P Chidambaram announced the launch of direct cash transfers (DCT) to beneficiaries of subsidies.
• The DCT scheme will enable effortless transfer of cash into Aadhar-enabled bank accounts of needy Indians.
• It will cover 42 welfare programmes of the government in 51 districts spread over 16 states; 29 schemes ready to roll out from Jan 1; over 10 lakh households across the country will be benefitted by end of next year.
• Falsification and duplication will be practically eliminated because of the scheme.
• It would result in considerable savings to the exchequer.
• Various ministries will coordinate on the DCT scheme.
• The Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M) slammed the government saying it will create a mechanism to continuously lower subsidies without saying so.
• Also the government will dismantle the PDS and its responsibility towards people