Bhubaneswar, Dec 7 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister NaveenPatnaik today urged the Centre to release funds under NationalSocial Assistance Programme (NSAP) without imposing anyconditions.
The CM's missive to Prime Minister Narendra Modi camein the wake of a letter received by the state government fromthe Ministry of Rural Development over disbursement ofpension, under the NSAP scheme, through Direct BenefitTransfer (DBT) platform.
"I firmly believe that disbursement of pension in cashin accordance with the convenience and choice of beneficiariesis in the best interest of the beneficiaries," Patnaik wroteto the PM.
The Direct Benefits Transfer platform aims to ensurethat benefits go to individuals' bank accounts electronically,minimising tiers involved in fund flow and thereby reducingdelay in payment.
The ministry's letter, issued in mid-November, hadsaid the sanction of second installment of NSAP is conditionaland the Patnaik government is required to detail the actionplan for switching over to the DBT platform.
It also said that the state should work with the banksto implement the RBI instructions on doorstep delivery ofbanking services to senior citizens and differently abledpersons.
Patnaik, in his letter to the PM today, said the statehad been disbursing pension in cash on every 15th day of amonth at the Gram Panchayats and ULB (urban local body)headquarters in an open and transparent manner.
All beneficiaries assembled there are provided pensionin cash in public view, he said.
This was being done, the CM said, in view of thedifficulties people face in accessing banking service in thestate.
There are 4,378 gram panchayats in the state with nobank branches. In other panchayats, too, existing banks haveonly one staff handling transactions, which makes it difficultfor them to take the load of large number of pensionbeneficiaries, he said.
The chief minister also pointed out that the Odishamodel of pension disbursement has been a subject of scholarlyresearch.
Bank payment may cause undue hardship to thevulnerable beneficiaries, he rued.
"I am sanguine you would appreciate the specialcircumstances of the state and not impose conditions onrelease of funds," Patnaik said. PTI AAMRMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.