The Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) – Digital Rupee (e₹) for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) will be launched in the Union Territory of Chandigarh today.

The initiative marks the next evolution by the Government of India in welfare delivery – from physical distribution of subsidised foodgrains to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and now to purpose-bound digital delivery through CBDC. Quoting official sources, our correspondent reports that Chandigarh will be the first Union Territory in the country to undertake a full-fledged roll-out of CBDC-based DBT for food subsidy under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) beneficiaries.

The launch will be presided over by the Punjab Governor and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be the Chief Guest. Union Minister of Education, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi will be the Special Guest. Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, besides other dignitaries from the centre and the state, would also be present. The CBDC-based initiative would also be virtually launched for Dadra and Nagar Haveli from Chandigarh.