chakravyuh expert amateurs
TRANSCRIPT
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[Document Title]
Experts Amateurs
Kunal Delwadia
8191898029
Varun Kumar Srivastava
8191898125
Chanchal Chakrachattari
chanchal.pgp2013@iimkashipur.
ac.in
8191898083
IIM Kashipur
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected] -
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Expert Amateurs
IIM Kashipur
9thNovember 2013
Aap ka Paisa aap ke haath: A Step in Right Direction?
In present age, technological advancement and innovations are playing increasingly important role in our day-
to-day lives. But, in the mean time, governments move to link the technology to transfer cash directly into
beneficiaries account has sparked much debate. Some people argue that Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) will
fundamentally benefit the below poverty line population bringing more transparency and reducing leakages in
economic cycle in India, many contend that if this is the governments prime objective, planning should start
from grass-root level and not otherwise. Dr Manmohan Singh on 19 thDec 2012 quoted: The twin pillars for
the success of the system of Direct Cash Transfers that we have envisioned are the Aadhaar platform and
financial inclusion. If either of these pillars is weak, it would endanger the success of the initiative. (Money
life Article)
UID (Unique Identification Number) project started under the leadership of Mr. Nandan Nilekani with many ifs
and buts. First came the proposal for the drastic cut in budgetary allocations for the UID from Rs7500 crore to
Rs 4500 crore, which meant only 10 crore UIDs will be possible against 60 crore planned. Moreover, lagging
experience of invisible hands of GOI (External Agencies), safety parameters assumed for biometric, insufficient
infrastructure facilities and methodology had been making the process of the UID Project relatively slow.
Although, GOI launched DCT successfully in selective districts in January 2013, it may not be indicative of the
same performance in the remaining non-literate geographical areas.
On the other hand, to support direct cash transfer, Congress-led UPA II steps in financial inclusion of over 40%
of the Indias 25 crore population, which still do not have any dealings with banks under the banking network.
Moreover, theres a lotof pressure from the government on the banks in semi-urban and rural areas to open
accounts within the timelines to support DCT, in order to escalate the process and gain political trust among the
people for the general election to be held in 2014. DCT scheme is a faster way to implement the government
and banks goal to cover unbanked villages. Alongside, RBI has opened another flank in the assault on banking
and financial inclusion by making it mandatory for banks to have 25% of their branches in unbanked areas.
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Although, RBIs definition of financial inclusion mandates a bank to offer at least four services such as saving
account with an overdraft facility, business loan, remittance facility and an insurance-cum-retirement benefit
product, today, for the purpose of cash transfers, banks are offering merely a bank account. At present, only 5%
of no-frill account holders access more than two banking products, the most common being savings account
and remittances. The financial inclusion program is different than polio campaign because banking has two-
way relationship with several changing dimensions. Despite the prevalent issues such as lack of banking
network, delay in Aadhar UID project, lack of infrastructure, inadequate fund allocations, lack of experience
etc. DCT scheme has a huge hope and impact on Indias economy and fiscal consolidation.
Source: Cash Transfers: Merits and demerits, The Economic Times, 26thFebruary 2013
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Under the DCT, the difference between the market price and subsidized price is directly transferred into the
beneficiaries account in the form of cash in proportion to the quantity uplifted from the market. In the union
budget 2011, the GOIs announcement had a drastic departure from the existing indirect or price subsidy
system wherein subsidies are routed through manufacturers who are required to sell goods below the market
rate. The changes in policy will address the issues related to current indirect subsidy policy such as dual
pricing, market distortion, unresponsive attitude towards customer needs, poor targeting of BPL population,
diversion and leakages, and under-recovery of Oil Manufacturing Companies (OMCs). This would help poor
people access to basic goods by reducing demand constraints.
Moreover, manufacturer, retailers and petroleum product manufacturer will sell on market rate, which will
encourage competitive market space and open the doors for private player. OMCs will be able to address losses
on their balance sheets. Therefore, by reducing the black market of these petroleum goods, more accountable
and taxable money will pump in to the economy, and hence a healthy economic climate and liquidity will be
created for the growth of the country. In addition, it will eliminate the middlemen from the picture and will
show governments intention to address corruption issue. It is learnt that the government can save up to Rs
20,000 crore a year as it will plug the porous distribution system that helps the middlemen. Hence, government
of India will gain political trust from the society.
The scheme, once nationally rolled out, envisages transferring as much as Rs 32,000 in cash on an average into
the bank account of each beneficiary family or a total of Rs 3.2 trillion per annum.
Secondly, DCT scheme will also definitely help the government to consolidate fiscal deficit due to heavy fuel
Subsidy burden (Petroleum products such as Petrol, diesel, kerosene etc.). And this fiscal consolidation will
help to revive the Indias economic growth.The new system is expected to reduce the cost and
subsidy bill through better targeting (Reaching out to the real beneficiary through AADHAR card). In
addition, GOIs target is to keep subsidy under 2 pc of GDP and under 1.75 pc of GDP in next 3 years.
Moreover, government endeavours to scale up and roll out Aadhar card enabled payments for various
government schemes in at least 50 districts within 6 months. PSU oil manufacturing companies have launched
transparency portals by introducing KYC (Know Your Customer) norms into the system to improve customer
services and reduce in leakages.
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On the other hand, some section of the population argue that the government should be efficient in dealing with
the fundamental issues of targeting the BPL population by clearly stating the definition of below poverty line so
that there could be proper identification of intended beneficiaries, in order to effectively subsidize the price of
fertilizers and kerosene, once the market price is determined keeping into account the fluctuations prevalent in
the international market. Devising a methodology to transfer the cash subsidy to the poor also remains an
important issue to be focused upon.
Last but not the least, the GOI must participate and encourage state governments to indulge in taking up
fundamental reforms required in public distribution system. There is a perception that majority of the male
member of these beneficiaries householdsare alcoholic; therefore, money transfer through DCT will be wasted
to buy alcohol. However, the issue can be sorted out by transferring the cash into the female beneficiary of the
household, so that the money is not used for gambling and drinking habits of the male beneficiaries.
However, to successfully implement the DCT, selection criteria should be broadened as well as inclusive, and
should refer to some successful models already implemented in countries similar to us such as that of Brazils
Bolsa Familia Program. Below are few of the points which could be implemented for the smooth
implementation of the project:
1) The prices can be averaged out yearly based on forecasts.
2) Government should allow flexibility in cash subsidy to choose the commodity for the beneficiary.
3) The amount of subsidy must be calculated on the basis of the actual household rather than assuming average
household beneficiary.
4)Bank accounts should be opened for one member per household to limit the time constraints on the project
completion.
5)The withdrawals can be done at ATMs and branches through the business correspondent model using smart
cards, PoS devices etc.
All in all, it is increasingly challenging days ahead for the government which includes increasing the
technological interface in rural and semi urban areas, proper implementation of public distribution system,
eradication of poverty from India, reducing the subsidy burden on petroleum products and most significantly to
bring the fiscal deficit within the desirable limit to revive countrys GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate
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and attract foreign fund to invest in India. In recent times, government has shown some sign to address these
issues by introducing the direct cash transfer scheme. It is taken as a positive signal by the financial credit
agencies, economists and the equity market. Hence we firmly believe that the government is on the right side of
the road map to increase the growth of the country.
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Works sited
http://www.moneylife.in/article/will-the-direct-cash-transfer-scheme-benefit-the-common-man/30575.html
Accessed on 8, November 2013, 9.32 PM
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/keyword/cash-transfers,accessed on 9thNovember 2013, 3.30 PM
http://www.slideshare.net/youthkiawaaz/direct-cash-transfer-scheme,accessed on 8thNovember 2013, 9.50 PM
http://www.kpmg.com/in/en/issuesandinsights/articlespublications/kbuzz/pages/gov.aspx,accessed 9th
November 2013, 4,32 PM.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/direct-cash-transfer-will-not-lead-to-misuse-
montek/article4765816.ece,accessed 8thNovember 2013, 5 PM
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/13-central-schemes-under-dbt-for-direct-cash-transfer-
minister/article5048840.ece,accessed 8
th
November 2013, 9 PM
http://forbesindia.com/article/real-issue/direct-cash-transfers-what-money-can-buy/35525/1,accessed 8th
November, 10 PM
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/direct-cash-transfer-scheme, accessed 8thNovember, 11 PM
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