The government has tied up with the six leading banks for implementation of the 'Dilli Annashree Yojana' and camps are being organised across the city to help the identified poor families open no-frills bank accounts based on their Aadhaar numbers.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has requested UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to launch the scheme which will be implemented with retrospective effect from April 1.
The Delhi Government claimed that the scheme will be the first important initiative by any state government to go beyond the traditional definition of poverty and to provide citizens with the food security through cash transfers.
Around four lakh poor households are getting subsidised food items under BPL and AAY schemes currently and those who are not covered by these two scheme will get the direct cash subsidies under the new programme which was announced by Dikshit while presenting the annual budget in May.
The government will spend around Rs 150 crore in the current fiscal for the scheme. Officials said each of the beneficiary families will be provided cash subsidy of Rs 4,800 on December 15 as entitlements for last eight months. The beneficiaries have been identified through a survey.
The officials said the government was considering to offer the cash subsidy to the four lakh beneficiaries who are currently getting subsidised food items.
