West Bengal's Chief Minister has ordered a special investigation into alleged fake accounts linked to the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, a women's cash transfer initiative by the previous government, citing illegal cash transfers and men falsely claiming benefits.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a special investigation into alleged fake beneficiaries of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, a women's cash transfer programme from the previous government, also initiating a money laundering probe.
Government recently announced a scheme for direct cash payout of subsidies to beneficiaries from January one next year, calling it a 'game changer'.
The Nadia district administration has launched an investigation after 173 male names were detected in the beneficiary list of the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme meant for women in Dhubulia area.
Addressing officials of Puducherry government and various banks at a meeting organised by state level Bankers Committee in Puducherry, Chidambaram said 'with the availability of banking technology, the scheme is not a complex arrangement but an easy programme.'
The government on Monday said that it had not violated any election code of conduct in connection with its ambitious direct cash transfer scheme as it was announced in the budget speech by the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers will have 11 cabinet ministers, two ministers of state with independent charge, the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, the Chairman UIDAI and the Cabinet Secretary as its members.
The government has identified 51 districts in 16 states for the roll out of the scheme.
The direct cash transfer scheme is not a "jaadu ki chhadi" (magic wand) to reform a "broken down" delivery system and problems are there in its implementation, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday.
Government's direct cash transfer scheme is "anti-poor" as it would actually cut subsidies due to the high inflation rate and not cover the rising prices of foodgrains, the Communist Party of India-Marxist on Wednesday said opposing the move.
The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday traded barbs over the government's direct cash transfer scheme after the Election Commission sought a reply from the Centre on the timing of the announcement.
Top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday met the Election Commissioner to lodge their protest against the Centre's announcement of the direct cash transfer scheme ahead of Gujarat elections and demanded its withdrawal. Led by party leader L K Advani and Leaders of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, the BJP delegation questioned the timing of the announcement and demanded its withdrawal to ensure free and fair elections in Gujarat.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday strongly backed the Centre's new Direct Benefit Transfer system that will ensure cash transfer directly in the hands of beneficiaries of various schemes, saying it is in line with many other "revolutionary" measures taken by the UPA.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday clarified that it will not oppose the Aadhar-based cash transfer scheme but added that there was nothing new in the announcement, for which the Congress was seeking "political mileage". It also said its state governments have been implementing similar schemes for years.
The Prime Minister's Office has asked ministries to take up the implementation of the direct cash transfer scheme on a war footing before the launch of the programme on January 1. It has also asked them to organise camps to fast pace enrolment under Aadhaar for the purpose. The primary activity of all the ministries implementing schemes in the coming weeks will be to complete enrolment of Aadhaar for all beneficiaries.
Voicing concern over the announcement of direct cash transfer scheme after the Model Code of Conduct had been implemented, the Election Commission has directed the government to keep in abeyance its implementation in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh where the poll process is going on.
Land acquisition and corruption will be among a string of issues that will be highlighted by Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, which on Wednesday described the United Progressive Alliance government's decision to launch a direct cash transfer scheme as a "bribe to voters".
Cash remains dominant for many transactions despite continued expansion in digital payments across the country.
As the government races to launch its flagship direct cash transfer programme from January 1, the low concentration of Aadhaar card database in the identified 43 districts is a cause of major concern
West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul defended the detailed application form for the 'Annapurna Yojana', stating the government aims to ensure benefits reach only Indian citizens, amidst criticism over excessive documentation.
A new report indicates that increasing unconditional cash transfer schemes for women across 12 Indian states are impacting their fiscal health, with six states projecting revenue deficits.
We will roll out the scheme from January 1, says P Chidambaram.
The government will roll out its ambitious scheme of transferring cash to beneficiaries of select schemes in 20 districts on Tuesday, but food, fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be covered in the initial phase.
The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has announced the implementation of several key administrative and policy measures, including the adoption of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, land transfer to the BSF for border fencing, and the implementation of the BNS criminal law.
West Bengal's new government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has approved several key policy changes, including the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, land transfer for border fencing, and the adoption of new criminal laws.
Kamath projected an average annual growth of 7.5-8 per cent for the country in the next five years for the economy, saying it was only investments in infrastructure and troubles with project implementation that had to be dealt with right now.
It is generally felt that DCTs are a more efficient system than, say, physical subsidies. This does hold when conditions are ideal and back-end structures are in place.
The government plans to expand its central bank digital currency (CBDC)-based food subsidy programme to Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu by June, following its implementation on a pilot basis in Gujarat and Puducherry, official sources said.
Brokerage Bernstein has warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India risks squandering recent economic gains unless it accelerates structural reforms, particularly in jobs, manufacturing and innovation.
Expressing unhappiness over the announcement of the much-touted direct cash transfer scheme by the government even when the model code was in force, the Election Commission on Sunday wrote to the Union cabinet secretary seeking a report on the matter.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have been fiscally stressed for a considerable period of time, and there are no easy ways to mobilise revenues to meet the cost of the promised freebies, particularly in the prevailing difficult economic scenario, points out M Govinda Rao.
Govt expects to save Rs 10,000 crore through this move.
Gurugram police have dismantled a cyber fraud operation run from a call centre in Ghaziabad, arresting three individuals accused of defrauding people of significant sums through deceptive insurance and government bond investment schemes.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a real estate businessman in connection with the alleged embezzlement of Rs 645 crore from bank accounts linked to the Haryana government, Chandigarh administration, and private schools.
The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has announced the implementation of several key administrative and policy measures, including the adoption of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, land transfer to the BSF for border fencing, and the implementation of the BNS criminal law.
Rajasthan Police dismantled a cyber fraud operation, arresting 17 individuals for allegedly defrauding an accountant of Rs 5.30 crore by impersonating his company's chairman on WhatsApp.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against Al-Falah University founder Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui and others in a money laundering case involving the fraudulent acquisition of land worth approximately Rs 46 crore.
India plans to phase in cash transfers of food and kerosene subsidies from September, saving 10-15 per cent of the $21 billion in annual outlays on the benefits by eliminating fraud, a senior finance ministry official said on Thursday.
The Enforcement Directorate has attached properties worth over Rs 1,000 crore as part of its investigation into the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam, filing a fresh complaint against four additional accused.
Under the TMC, Bengal has seen expansion of welfare, but not big-ticket private investment.
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