BHUBANESWAR: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday criticised the State Government’s demand for disbursement of pension under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) ) in cash.
The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is a national mission for financial inclusion to ensure access to all people irrespective of their financial status to banking services.
The direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes of more than 50 ministries of the Central government have been successfully implemented and the objective of the scheme is to ensure that benefits go directly to the bank accounts of the intended beneficiaries and eliminate middlemen, Pradhan said.
Disapproving the Chief Minister’s argument for disbursement of pension in cash as per the convenience and choice of beneficiaries, Pradhan said the real motive of the former is to extend benefit to party workers who act as middlemen.