Government has saved Rs 49,500 crore from going to middlemen: PM Modi

He said there was leakage in various government schemes including the MGNREGA and PDS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday said the government had taken several measures to plug leakages in government schemes and made an annual saving of Rs 49,500 crore which, he added, was earlier lining the pockets of middlemen.

Replying to a debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha, Modi said there was leakage in various government schemes including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Public Distribution System (PDS).

He said measures taken to plug the gaps were causing problems to "vested interests" and such people operated in almost every street of the country and siphoned off funds meant for the poor.

"The measures of the government have caused problems to big people. They will be after me, but I am prepared," Modi said.

He said 3.95 crore fake ration cards had been detected and leakages plugged to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore.

Modi said the government's moves towards promotion of LED bulbs, which consume less power compared to other bulbs, had brought down power bills and enabled savings of Rs 11,000 crore.

The Prime Minister said that payments under the MGNREGS through direct benefit transfer in the accounts had plugged leakage of Rs 7,633 crore.

"In a year, we have been able to save Rs 49,500 crore going to middlemen," Modi said, adding that the money belonged to the poor.