Delegation studies Aadhar-linked DBT prog in Andhra Pradesh villages

VIJAYWADA: A delegation of secretaries and principal secretaries of various state governments today made a field visit to Perikeedu and Aarugolanu villages in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district and studied implementation of Aadhar-linked Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) programme.

Krishna District Collector Babu A, who won several national awards for successfully implementing such programmes, explained the functioning of the Aadhar-linked DBT, and said misappropriation of Rs 39 crore could be prevented every month.

The Krishna district has been chosen as a pilot by the Government of India for implementation of Aadhar-linked DBT scheme.

The e-POS (electronic point of sale) system is a pioneering programme through which essential commodities under the public distribution system are directly delivered to the beneficiaries without any pilferage, the Collector said.

"Aadhar and biometrics are integrated with e-POS and this has proved very effective in checking pilferage. Similarly, we started selling fertilisers directly to farmers, using Aadhar link, through Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies. This has led to closure of about 100 private dealerships in the district," Babu told the visiting officials.

Using Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile platform, welfare pensions to different sections were being distributed using micro ATMs, the Collector said.

All this was being done as per RBI guidelines.

"All in all we could prevent misappropriation of about Rs 39 crore every month. That much is the saving to the government," Babu said.

Aadhar Director General Ajay Bhushan Pandey and senior bureaucrats from different states attended the programme.