The government will roll out the Direct Transfer of Benefits into beneficiaries accounts in 20 districts from tomorrow. The scheme will begin in 11 more districts from 1st of February and in another 12 districts from 1st of March next year.

In a joint press conference with Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari in New Delhi today, the Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram said that initially there will be a direct benefit transfer in 7 schemes. These include pre- matric scholarships for SCs and post-matric scholarships for SCs, STs and OBCs, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahayata Yojana and stipend to SCs and STs for coaching-cum-guidance and vocational training.

Mr. Chidambaram said, day after tomorrow all future benefit transfers under all the 26 schemes in 20 districts will be through direct benefit transfer whenever they are due. On a query, the Finance Minister clarified that credit and withdrawal from all accounts will take place irrespective of the fact whether they have AADHAR card or not. Mr. Chidambaram said that the scheme will be rolled out in phases in other parts of the country during 2013 after it has stabilised in these 43 districts.

In reply to a question, he clarified that food, fertiliser, diesel and kerosene subsidies will not to be transferred in cash to beneficiaries under the scheme.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tewari said, the scheme will benefit around two lakh people in the country.

AIR correspondent reports that the scheme aims at providing benefits of several government welfare schemes directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts to plug leakages and reduce delays in their transfer.