New Delhi, December 14
Ahead of the scheduled roll-out of the ambitious direct cash transfer scheme from January 1, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today directed all ministries to gear up for the event by ensuring swifter enrolment under the Aadhaar scheme.

Reviewing preparations for the plan, which the Congress feels will be a “game changer”, the PMO asked the ministries to work on a “war footing” and hold camps to complete enrolment under the Aadhaar scheme. They also have to ensure that the beneficiaries have bank accounts with the specific mention of Aadhaar numbers. “This has to be addressed on a war footing. Camp approach can be the best,” the PMO said in a statement.

With the deadline around two weeks away, the executive committee under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary in the PMO met here and decided the Planning Commission would finalise a one-day meeting of Collectors in 43 of the 51 identified districts. It also organised a video conference with the Chief Secretaries/Finance Secretaries of the participating states to assess preparedness for commencing the roll-out.

Preparations in the remaining eight districts, which fall in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, will start after December 20, when the results of the Assembly elections are declared.

The Centre plans to ensure direct cash transfer of benefits under 34 schemes in the selected 51 districts. The Congress-led government at the Centre hopes the move to combine technology and banking to transfer social benefits directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries would prevent leakages.

“The collectors will need to be given clear instructions on how to do this when they come for the meeting next week. The Planning Commission will coordinate the necessary preparations for this,” the PMO said.

Following directions passed at a meeting of the National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers chaired by the Prime Minister last month, the executive committee held a meeting for the follow-up action on direct cash transfers.