Core committees notified for implementation of direct cash transfers

One can imagine the urgency and importance accorded to the direct cash transfers programme by the United Progressive Alliance government from the fact that the notification for the formation of these two committees issued on November 16, 2012, follows closely on the heels of the October 25, 2012, notification that envisaged formation of these committees.

That is, in three weeks flat, the government has moved the bureaucracy into action and constituted a group that will convert one of India's most ambitious policy decisions into reality.

Documents accessed by/in possession of Rediff.com reveal that these two core committees -- the Financial Inclusion Committee on Direct Cash Transfers, and the Technology Committee on Direct Cash Transfers -- include top ranking officials, of the level of secretaries and Director General, UIDAI, who have been tasked with preparing a speedy roadmap for the implementation of direct cash transfer scheme.

The notification signed by Pulok Chatterji, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minster, and B V R Subrahmanyam, Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister, has been copied to all members of the National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers and the Executive Committee on Direct Cash Transfers.

Importantly, the notification dated November 16, 2012, states that 'the attendance at the meetings of these committees should be preferably at the level of Secretary and in no case below the level of Joint Secretary to the Government of India,' once again underscoring the sense of urgency displayed by UPA 2.

This is how the composition of these two committees looks like:

Financial Inclusion Committee on Direct Cash Transfers consists of:

Secretary, D/o (department of) Financial Services
Secretary, D/o Posts
Secretary, Planning Commission
Secretary, D/o Electronics and IT
DG, UIDAI
Secretary, D/o Rural Development
Secretary, D/o Social Justice & Empowerment
Secretary, M/o P&NG
Technology Committee on Direct Cash Transfers consists of:
Chairman, UIDAI
Secretary, D/o (department of) Financial Services
Secretary, Planning Commission
Secretary, D/o Electronics and IT
Secretary, M/o Labour & Employment
Secretary, D/o Posts
Secretary, M/o P&NG
Secretary, M/o Rural Development
Secretary, M/o Food & Public Distribution
Secretary, D/o Fertilizers
DG, UIDAI

According to this notification, the government will also constitute Implementation Committees on Electronic Transfer of Benefits in each ministry/department that will consist of:
Secretary of the ministry/department (representatives not below the rank of Joint Secretary) from:

The Planning Commission
D/o Expenditure (of FA)
D/o Financial Services
Do Electronics & IT
UIDAI

The notification clearly outlines the tasks to be implemented by these committees that will ultimately lead to effective implementation of the Direct Cash Transfer Scheme announced by Dr Manmohan Singh which is largely being touted as UPA 2's most ambitious programme to capture power in 2014.