Meet to chart road map for Jan 1 cash-transfer rollout this week

To ascertain the number of districts and schemes to be covered by the cash-transfer scheme in its first phase, the government will this week hold a meeting with collectors of the districts shortlisted for the scheme’s rollout from January 1.

In an exclusive interview, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told Business Standard the district collectors would be instructed via video conferencing on December 13 or 14 and their views on preparedness taken. This would help chart the road map.

“That is when clear instructions will be given and we will hear from them whether they are prepared to implement it or will require a couple of weeks more,” Ahluwalia said.

He stressed the government was aiming for the January 1 rollout but would have a better idea only after the meeting. The programme, he said, would have much clearer visibility by the end of January 2013.

“My view is that a substantial number of schemes in a substantial number of districts should have been implemented by the end of January... in the sense that money would have moved,” he said.

He also expected the government would be able to show results after the first month of the rollout. “We should be able to say... well, look, for these districts, for these schemes, it has visibly worked... and if you like, you can do a random check of the beneficiary list and ask them if they got the money,” Ahluwalia added.