Did Modi Govt Really Bring Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme?

According to the BJP’s claim, Direct Benefit Transfer scheme was brought in by them, but was it?

The BJP posted a video on Twitter which claims that Direct Benefit Transfer scheme was brought in by them.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

CLAIM

A recent video post by Bharatiya Janata Party’s official page on Twitter said "we brought the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme.” The claims are one of the many made by the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

A video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts by saying, “One of the main reasons governments change is corruption, I have started a fight against corruption and black money.” The video goes on to claim: “Humne Direct Benefit Transfer ki scheme laayi.” (We brought the Direct Benefit scheme).

Previously, the prime minister had made the claim of bringing DBT as well. How true is the claim? Did NDA really bring the DBT?

TRUE OR FALSE?

The Direct Benefit Transfer, which aims at accurate targeting of beneficiaries, was first started on 1 January 2013 before the NDA came to power. The DBT website says so.

Press Information Bureau’s 2013 document also states that DBT was to be rolled out with effect from 1 January that year.

Its announcement and execution was included in the Budget of 2013-14 as well.

The scheme was initiated in just 43 districts and was spread across the country in 2014. Out of total 1117 schemes from 74 ministries, currently there are around 450 DBT schemes from 56 ministries.

However, schemes like Aadhaar, new scholarship schemes, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) among others were linked to it by the Modi government.

The claim was debunked by Alt News in 2017 and yet the recent claim was made in 2019.

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