Saving through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) during FY22-23 crossed ₹63,000 crore as against ₹50,000 crore of FY22, the latest update on DBT portal shows.
With this total saving since inception has exceeded ₹3.48 lakh crore.
Total saving in FY23 can meet a bigger part of allocation for Rural Employment scheme during FY25. Government has provided ₹86,000 crore under the scheme for FY25.
The Centre says that DBT and other governance reforms have led to the removal of duplicate/fake beneficiaries and plugging of leakages, and due to this the government has been able to better target the deserving beneficiaries.
As on date, DBT is used in 314 schemes, being implemented by 53 Central Ministries and Departments.
During FY23, Public Distribution System provided a saving of over ₹50000 crore which was highest among all schemes. Till date total saving has been over ₹1.85 lakh crore. This has been possible because of “Deletion of over five crore duplicate and fake/ non-existent Ration Cards,” the portal said.
Another big saving was made under PM KISAN with a saving of over ₹10000 crore. “Deletion of over 2.11 crore ineligible beneficiaries helped to save,” the portal added.
Proper administration of LPG subsidy has helped to save over ₹500 crore in FY23, and this took the total saving to over ₹73,000 crore. Government says, 4.15 crore duplicate, fake/non-existent, inactive LPG connections eliminated. In addition, number of non-subsidised LPG consumers is 2.45 crore including 1.13 crore ‘Give it Up’ consumers.
With the aim of reforming Government delivery system by re-engineering the existing process in welfare schemes for simpler and faster flow of information/funds and to ensure accurate targeting of the beneficiaries, de-duplication and reduction of fraud, DBT was started on January 1, 2013.
First phase of DBT was initiated in 43 districts and later on 78 more districts were added in 27 schemes pertaining to scholarships, women, child and labour welfare. DBT was further expanded across the country on December 12, 2014
JAM is DBT enabler and as on date around 52 crore Jan Dhan Account, more than 139 crore Aadhaar and 115 crore Mobile connections provide an opportunity to implement DBT in all welfare schemes across the country including States and Union Territories.
“DBT will bring efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and accountability in the Government system and infuse confidence of citizen in the governance. Use of modern technology and IT tools will realize the dream of ‘Maximum Governance Minimum Government’” the introduction to DBT said.