Sheila Dikshit launches cash transfer scheme in Delhi

New Delhi: The government's ambitious direct cash transfer programme was rolled out in two districts of Delhi on Tuesday with only four out of 26 identified schemes being covered. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit launched the centrally-sponsored Aadhaar-enabled direct cash transfer scheme being implemented in North West and North East districts.

Touted as a "game-changer", the programme, will cover a select 26 schemes like educational scholarship for SC/ST and OBC and widow pension. Food, fertilisers, diesel and kerosene have already been kept out. The two Delhi districts are part of 20 districts in six states and three Union Territories identified for launch of the programme.

Around 12,000 beneficiaries of four schemes - post-matric scholarship for SC, post-matric scholarship for OBC, Indira Gandhi Matritava Sahyog Yojna and Janani Suraksha Yojna - have been brought under the new programme.

The government\'s ambitious direct cash transfer programme was rolled out in two districts of Delhi on Tuesday.

Divisional Commissiner Dharam Pal said nine out of 26 programmes identified by the Centre are relevant to Delhi. "We could make available only programmes under the scheme," he said.

The Chief Minister distributed certificates to 50 beneficiaries of the scheme at a function attended by Revenue Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami, Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister Mukesh Sharma and senior advisor in Planning Commission Vandana Jena.

In her address, Dikshit said Delhi government was planning to implement cash transfer through aadhar-linked bank accounts of beneficiaries for a number of its schemes. "The scheme is aimed at ensuring delivery of full benefit to the beneficiaries," Dikshit said.

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