PM HAS CONSTITUTED NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON DIRECT CASH TRANSFERS
The Prime Minister
has constituted a coordination committee called the National Committee on
Direct Cash Transfers, as a mechanism to coordinate action for the introduction
of direct cash transfers to individuals under the various government schemes
and programmes.
The National
Committee chaired by the Prime Minister will have as its members eleven Cabinet
Ministers, two Ministers of State with independent charge, the Deputy Chairman
Planning Commission, the Chairman UIDAI, the Cabinet Secretary with the
Principal Secretary to the PM as the convenor. The Prime Minister may invite
any other Minister/Officer/Expert to any meeting of the Committee.
The National
Committee on Direct Cash Transfers would engage in the following tasks:
a) Provide an
overarching vision and direction to enable direct cash transfers of benefits
under various government schemes and programmes to individuals, leveraging the
investments being made in the Aadhaar Project, financial inclusion and other
initiatives of the Government, with the objective of enhancing efficiency,
transparency and accountability.
b) Determine broad
policy objectives and strategies for direct cash transfers.
c) Identify Government
programmes and schemes for which direct cash transfers to individuals can be
adopted and suggest the extent and scope of direct cash transfers in each case.
d) Coordinate the
activities of various Ministries/ Departments/ Agencies involved in enabling
direct cash transfers and ensure timely, coordinated action to ensure speedy
rollout of direct cash transfers across the country.
e) Specify timelines
for the rollout of direct cash transfers.
f) Review the progress
of implementation of direct cash transfers and provide guidance for mid-course
corrections.
g) Any other related
matter.
The National Committee
on Cash Transfers will be assisted by an Executive Committee on Direct Cash
Transfers chaired by the Principal
Secretary to PM and the Secretaries of the concerned Ministries and the DG
UIDAI. The Secretary Planning Commission will be the convenor.
The Executive
Committee on Direct Cash Transfers would engage in the following tasks:
a) Identify and propose
for the consideration of the National Committee on Cash Transfers such
Government programmes and schemes for which direct cash transfers to individuals
can be adopted and suggest the extent and scope of direct cash transfers in
each case.
b) Ensure the
preparation of and approve strategies and action plans for the speedy rollout
of direct cash transfers in areas agreed to and in line with the timelines laid
down by the National Committee on Cash Transfers.
c) Coordinate the
activities of various Ministries/ Departments / Agencies involved in enabling
direct cash transfers to ensure that the architecture and framework for direct
cash transfers is in place for rolling out direct cash transfers across the
country.
d) Review and monitor
the rollout of direct cash transfers and undertake mid-course corrections as
and when necessary.
e) Any other related
matter entrusted by the National Committee on Cash Transfers or relating to
direct cash transfers.
The Chairman may
invite any other Officer/Expert to any meeting of the Executive Committee as
may be necessary. The National Committee and the Executive Committee would be
serviced by the Planning Commission, which may obtain assistance as required
from any Ministry/Department/Agency of the Government in this task. The
Planning Commission will designate an officer of the rank of Joint Secretary in
the Planning Commission to coordinate and service the work of the National
Committee and Executive Committee.
In order to finalize
the operational and implementation details relating to the design and
implementation of the direct cash transfer system, and for ensuring a smooth
roll-out of direct cash transfers in an orderly and timely fashion, Mission
Mode Committees will be constituted.
These will be:
a) Technology
Committee to focus on the technology, payment architecture and IT issues.
b) Financial
Inclusion Committee to focus on ensuring universal access to banking and
ensuring complete financial inclusion.
c) Implementation
Committees on Electronic Transfer of Benefits at the Ministry/ Department level to work out the details of
cash transfers for each department such as data bases, direct cash transfer
rules and control and audit mechanisms.
The notifications for
these three committees will be issued in due course.
The composition of
the National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers is as follows:
1. Prime Minister - Chairperson
2. Finance Minister
3. Minister of Communications & IT
4. Minister of Rural Development
5. Minister of Social Justice &
Empowerment
6. Minister of Human Resource Development
7. Minister of Tribal Affairs
8. Minister of Minority Affairs
9. Minister of Health & Family Welfare
10. Minister of Labour & Employment
11. Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas
12. Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers
13. Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission
14. Minister of State (i/c) of Food &
Public Distribution
15. Minister of State (i/c) of Women &
Child Development
16. Chairman, UIDAI
17. Cabinet Secretary
18. Principal Secretary to PM - Convenor
Soruce: Press
Release, Prime Minister's Office
With Regards
Prakash Verma
E. Id:- Prkverma@gmail.com