The Finance Ministry will implement a common framework for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) across the country, covering all the schemes being funded by the Centre. The 12-digit unique identification number ‘Aadhaar’ will form the base of the framework, which is to be implemented from April 1.

Central schemes

An office memorandum of the Ministry said that for all the schemes, Central sector or Centrally-sponsored, the new framework will be implemented by all the Ministries and Departments.

Central sector schemes are those that are implemented by a central agency and are 100 per cent funded by the Centre on subjects within the Union list, such as scholarships, Janani Suraksha Yojana and Dhanlakshmi schemes. Centrally-sponsored schemes are those that are funded directly by Central ministries/departments and implemented by States or their agencies, irrespective of the pattern of financing. Currently, DBT is for 35 Central sector/Centrally-sponsored schemes and modified scheme for LPG (PAHAL). With this new framework, the number of schemes coming under DBT’s ambit is likely to go up.

For all Central sector schemes, the framework prescribes that each Ministry/Department will transfer funds electronically to each beneficiary. A digitised list of beneficiaries will be prepared and then seeded with the Aadhaar number by June 30.

For all Centrally-sponsored schemes, the Centre will work with States to ensure that the cash component in each scheme is transferred electronically to each beneficiary. The framework has fixed a deadline of March 31 for preparing a digitised list of beneficiaries and fully seeding them with Aadhaar by June 30.

The Ministry has made it clear that no eligible beneficiary should suffer for want of Aadhaar and it would be the Ministries and Departments’ responsibility to ensure Aadhaar enrolment of beneficiaries.

Over 70 crore Aadhaar numbers have already been issued and the target is to issue 100 crore in the current fiscal.

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