The Centre will roll out Aadhaar based Direct Cash Transfer of Subsidies to beneficiary bank accounts from the 1st of January 2013. Under the timelines set, 51 districts will be covered initially, 18 states are to be added by 1st of April and have 16 more states covered within a year. The decision was taken by the Executive Committee on Direct Cash Transfers that met today under the ageis of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary.

All departments engaged in transferring benefits to individual beneficiaries have been directed to quickly move to an electronic Direct Cash Transfer system, based on an Aadhaar Payment Bridge Platform. Instructions have also been issued for the list of schemes for Direct transfer of subsidies to be sent to the Planning Commission and the Prime Minister's Office by the 20th of this month.

The Unique Identity Authority of India (UDAI ) will set up a dedicated cell of technical experts to facilitate Aaadhaar enabled Direct Cash Transfers and help individual Ministries. Departments have also been asked to digitise their databases quickly, particularly at the state level with the help of state governments, Department of Information Technology and NIC to ensure convergence.

AIR correspondent reports, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is to hold the first meeting of the National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers on 26 of this month.