Anurag bats for direct benefit transfer in PDS

BJP MP Anurag Thakur has written to Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan seeking the implementation of direct benefit transfer in the public distribution system (PDS) across the country.
The Hamirpur MP said that under the direct benefit transfer scheme, money will be transferred to bank accounts of beneficiaries as food subsidy, thereby reducing the number of government departments involved in the distribution process and curtailing the scope for leakage.
In his letter the consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister, Thakur said, "The LPG subsidy scheme introduced by the central government has reaped benefits and led to blocking of 3.3 crore fake, ghost and duplicate LPG connections, with a savings of Rs 21,000 crore in subsidies."

In a statement here, he said, "Like LPG subsidy, direct benefit transfer in PDS would serve in the interest of states and public. Therefore,...Kindly implement the measure...Across states, starting from smaller states and moving onto bigger states.