Mar 16, 2015, 05.18 PM IST | Source: CNBC-TV18
Discussing implications of the SC move by making Aadhaar “not mandatory” to avail of services, DK Mittal, Mission Director, DBT Scheme, and Former Financial Services Secretary, said certain pilots are being initiated to link food subsidy to DBT.
The government’s plans to scale up the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme received a jolt Monday with the Supreme Court holding that Aadhaar is not mandatory to avail of services. The SC has asked the Centre to ensure that no state governments are making Aadhaar cards mandatory for availing of services.
The apex court said it will deliver a final verdict on the matter this July and also observed that states that are non-compliant will be taken to task. Discussing the implications of the move, DK Mittal, Mission Director, DBT Scheme, and Former Financial Services Secretary, said that nobody is being denied benefits minus Aadhaar and that certain pilots are being initiated to link food subsidy to DBT.
In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Mittal said the oil ministry is working on linking kerosene to DBT. Below is the transcript of DK Mittal's interview with CNBC-TV18's Nayantara Rai.
Q: You are the mission director of the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme which has been envisaged for the government to try and plug leakages, to try and reduce subsidies. Would you say what the Supreme Court today has said will be a setback for what you are trying to achieve?
A: I don’t think there is any question of setback. This decision of the honourable court is earlier one and they have only reiterated that decision. Government of India and state governments are complying with it. So, I do not find any change in this instance.
Q: If it is taking a strong stance as far as Aadhaar goes and says that is not mandatory where is it going to leave your Direct Benefit Transfer schemes if the Supreme Court were to also take a similar view of the Jan Dhan Yojna. That is what the government is today relying on for Direct Benefit Transfers.
A: There is no fresh challenge. This challenge has arisen couple of months back when honourable court said that it should not be made mandatory till they decide the subject. So, status quo remains. Honourable court has only repeated the stand, decision taken earlier, that the status quo should be maintained. So, that is perfectly fine. In terms of doing DBT, we are looking at many methods including if the beneficiary shares an Aadhaar number, take the Aadhaar number but as per the courts direction nobody is being denied any benefit just on the ground that he or she does not have an Aadhaar number.
Q: Has the Supreme Court had anything to say as far as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna scheme goes because that is what the government today is relying on and is using to make DBT a reality?
A: There is a misconception. Linking the Jan Dhan Yojna with Aadhaar was only with the ease of money transfer. Not that money cannot be transferred without Aadhaar number. However this is a great benefit to the beneficiary once you have linked an account with Aadhaar number then multiple benefits can go to that bank account straightaway. You don’t have to give bank account number, you don’t have to give the IFSC code of the bank branch. So, it is the convenience of the beneficiary. Even today beneficiaries after realising the benefits are voluntarily coming forward and giving these details. So, that process remains. The court has said that nobody should be denied, that’s the direction of the court and it will be complied with by the government. It is being complied. There is nothing new about it.
Q: Can you tell me what you are working on now? We have seen the LPG DBT being quite a success, people are voluntarily giving up. Are you going to look at kerosene next, are you also looking at DBT for food, has that started even via pilot project? A: I think that is in horizon of the government to have the food – the options are with the state government. First task for us is to prepare the digitised list with their identification numbers. So, that is happening, certain pilots are being initiated in different parts of India. After those lessons are learnt and there is confidence in the state government then we will take it forward.
Q: Is there any timeline that you are looking at as far as DBT for food goes?
A: It will be appropriate if you reach out to ministry of food because they are the owners of the scheme and they need to tell. We are working with them and supporting them.
Q: Kerosene?
A: Kerosene again petroleum ministry is working on it and it will go along with the food because the beneficiary list is the same, so they will go together.
