This refers to Shubhashis Gangopadhyay’s article “Who prefers cash transfers?” (January 26). Often, serious academic studies become redundant, since policy makers have scant respect for field-level situations and research findings. At a review meeting of progress made in the preparations to launch the direct cash transfer programme last month, the prime minister observed: “The twin pillars for the success of the system of direct cash transfers that we have envisioned are the Aadhaar platform and financial inclusion. If either of these pillars is weak, it would endanger the success of the initiative.” Those familiar with the happenings on the Aadhaar platform will have the same apprehensions briefly coming out in the prime minister’s statement. Reportedly, the government handed over the electoral rolls in respective areas to public sector banks, operating in the districts selected for launch of cash transfer from January 1, 2013, with instructions to ensure that every household in these districts has at least one bank account. One can only wonder why electoral rolls, and not Aadhaar numbers, were used.
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