Criticising the Government’s decision to scale down the number of districts where the scheme for direct cash transfer of subsidies is being implemented, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party said it was clear that the “game changer” scheme had become a dampener.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said the Government was not confident of implementing its own scheme. He urged the Centre to focus on rising prices rather than fool the people in the name direct cash transfer.

He said by reducing the number of districts, the Government had made it clear that it could not implement the scheme successfully.

He said a large section of the population was yet to get Aadhaar cards.

“There are no banks in most of the villages. Majority of the poor families do not have a bank account. Bank managers have only now been asked to help them open accounts,” he said.

‘Hang rape culprits’

Hussain also reiterated his party’s demand for death sentence to the culprits in the Delhi gang rape and murder case. He said the UPA Government was turning a blind eye to demands from various sections of the people to give harsher punishment to the accused in rape cases.

He said the BJP would give suggestions to the J.S. Verma panel on strengthening the laws to provide maximum punishment in cases of violence against women.

He added, however, that all such discussions could take place only in a special session of Parliament.

> jigeesh.am@thehindu.co.in

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