Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday said that the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for LPG consumers will be rolled out in over 269 more districts between September 2013 and January 1st next year.
"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has decided to extend the scheme in 34 districts in September, 44 in October, 46 in November, 40 in December and 105 in January next year. This will take the total number of districts to 269 as the scheme is already existing in 20 districts," he told media here today.
"It's already successful in the 20 districts, and I think we can make it an equal success in the remaining 269 districts in which we plan to roll out before the end of the current calendar year,' he added.
He also said that banks have been asked to focus on the opening of bank accounts of beneficiaries and linking them to AADHAAR.
Chidambaram further said that around half of the country would be covered in terms of districts under the scheme.
He also said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today gave its approval for continuing the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation to deal with problems of over exploitation and contamination.
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"The scheme with an expenditure of 3,319 crore rupees during the 12th Plan involves new components of aquifer mapping and participatory ground water management," he said.
"It will be implemented in parts of 28 States and seven Union Territories covering 8.89 lakh sq kilometer during the Plan. Capacity building of functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions, local community, grass root workers, Kisan Vikas Kendras will be undertaken to train them in basic data collection and interpretation," he added.
Chidambaram further said that the CCEA also gave its nod to the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme during the 12th Plan period with a major focus on powerlooms.
"The total budget outlay for continuation of the scheme will be about 11,900 crore rupees out of which 2,400 crore rupees have been allocated during the financial year 2013-14," he said.