Chhattisgarh

• 11 Mar 2024

PM Launches Mahtari Vandan Scheme In Chhattisgarh

Why in News?

Recently, The Prime Minister inaugurated the 'Mahtari Vandan' scheme in Chhattisgarh to provide monetary assistance to women.

Key Points

• Under the scheme, the state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 1000 per month to eligible married women of the state as monthly Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
  • The first installment of ₹ 655 crore was deposited into the bank accounts of beneficiaries (married women).
• The scheme has been envisioned to ensure economic empowerment of women, provide them financial security, promote gender equality and strengthen the decisive role of women in the family.
• The scheme will provide benefits to all eligible married women of the state who are above 21 years of age as of January 1, 2024.
  • Widows, divorced, and deserted women will also be eligible for this scheme. Around 70 lakh women will benefit from the scheme.

Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme

• It has been visioned as an aid for simpler/faster flow of information and funds to the beneficiaries and to reduce the fraud in the delivery system.
• It is a mission or an initiative by the government of India started on 1st January 2013 as a way to reform the government delivery system.
  • Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS), the earlier version of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), of the Office of Controller General of Accounts, was chosen to act as the common platform for routing of the Direct Benefit Transfer.
• Components of DBT: Primary components in the implementation of DBT schemes include Beneficiary Account Validation System, a robust payment and reconciliation platform integrated with Reserve Bank of India (RBI), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Public & Private Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks (core banking solutions of banks, settlement systems of RBI, Aadhaar Payment Bridge of NPCI) etc.
• There are 310 Schemes from 53 Ministries under DBT. Some important schemes are:
  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, National Food Security Mission, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, PM KISAN, Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin, Atal Pension Yojana, National AYUSH Mission.
• Aadhaar is not mandatory in DBT schemes. Since Aadhaar provides unique identity and is useful in targeting the intended beneficiaries, Aadhaar is preferred and beneficiaries are encouraged to have Aadhaar.