Chief ministers agree on direct transfer from 2017: DBT head

Agartala: All chief ministers of the country, including Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, have agreed on transferring government benefits to people's bank accounts directly from next year, according to G S Sekhawat, Director of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Sekhawat, who is posted in the cabinet secretariat, conducted a workshop here today on direct benefit transfer with government officials.

He said that DBT would check corruption and increase transparency and accountability and that it would also save money in the state exchequers.

The principal secretary, finance and rural development of the state government, G S G Ayenger, and other top officials of the finance and other departments were present in the workshop.

As per the plan, transactions in all departments under the state government will be made regularly in digital mode from January 1.

"The state government has taken initiative to conduct all transactions online. We have also initiated a process for opening bank accounts with debit cards for the estimated 20 per cent people who have no bank accounts so far," Chief Secretary Yashpal Singh told reporters.

Similarly, officials in the state finance department said opening of bank accounts by tea workers is on in full swing.

All government, semi-government and private enterprises were asked to install swipe machines to discourage cash transactions, he said, adding that cash less transactions were also recommended for hotels, tourist lodges, showrooms and handicraft outlets.