To mark the next evolution in welfare delivery to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), the Government of India has launched the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) – Digital Rupee (e₹) for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) at the Union Territory of Chandigarh today. The initiative aims to weed away the middleman from government-run beneficiary schemes meant for poor people.

 

Punjab Governor and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria, Union Agriculture Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister of Education, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi and Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, together launched the scheme at a programme.

 

Akashvani correspondent reports that with this launch, Chandigarh has become the first Union Territory in the country to undertake a full-fledged roll-out of CBDC-based DBT for food subsidy. The dignitaries also launched the same scheme virtually for Dadra and Nagar Haveli from Chandigarh.