84 DBT schemes have 33.52 crore beneficiaries, says government

NEW DELHI: There were over 33 crore beneficiaries of 84 schemes that have been onboarded under the direct benefit transfer (DBT) programme at the end of February 2017, the government said today.

"As on February 28, 2017, there are 33.52 crore (non-exclusive) beneficiaries in respect of 84 onboarded direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes being monitored by the DBT Mission," Minister of State for Electronics and IT P P Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

He added that the total number of e-payment transactions from Bharat Kosh and PFMS for C2G, B2G and G2G for the period November 2016 till date is 48,607.

Chaudhary said the Indian government is encouraging various agencies to maximise e-payment.

"Instructions dated November 14, 2016, have already been issued by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, to all the secretaries to undertake digital transactions to the maximum extent possible in all autonomous bodies, public sector corporations and other offices," he added.

Chaudhary told the House that it has also been suggested that cash transactions may be done only when it is totally unavoidable.

The number of JAM beneficiaries of the Jan Dhan scheme stands at about 28.08 crore, Aadhaar beneficiaries at 113.23 crore and mobile beneficiaries at 104.97 crore.

In response to another question, the minister said indirect tax collection (central excise, service tax and Customs) for 2016-17 up to February 2017 is Rs 7.7 lakh crore, as per data received from the CBEC (Central Board of Excise and Customs).