PM Modi's Initiative Prevents Rs 5 Lakh Crore Waste in India
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Synopsis
In a recent interview, PM Modi discussed his measures to enhance government efficiency by reducing social welfare fund wastage in India, similar to President Trump's DOGE program. His initiatives have reportedly saved approximately Rs 5 lakh crore by eliminating fraudulent beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer system.
Key Takeaways
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system introduced to eliminate fraud.
- Saved approximately Rs 5 lakh crore by March 2023.
- Annual savings of Rs 64,000 crore due to reduced corruption.
- Eradicated fake job cards and LPG connections.
- Model mirrors the DOGE program in the US.
New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently emphasized during his conversation with renowned American podcaster Lex Fridman that he has instituted strategies for enhancing government efficiency by curbing the waste of social welfare funds in India, akin to the aspirations outlined in President Donald Trump's DOGE initiative recently launched in the US.
PM Modi underscored that upon assuming office, he initiated the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system for social welfare, which eradicated fake and non-existent beneficiaries across various schemes, thereby preventing significant amounts of funds from being misappropriated by corrupt intermediaries.
"When I came into power in 2014, I realized that we were not included in numerous global discussions, unlike the current focus on President Trump and DOGE. Let me share an example to highlight our efforts. I found that the benefits of certain government schemes, particularly welfare programs, were being misused by individuals who did not even exist," PM Modi shared with Fridman.
As reported by senior officials, by March 2023, the Modi administration's model of channeling social welfare funds through DBT had resulted in savings of approximately Rs 3.48 lakh crore.
With nearly Rs 64,000 crore saved annually due to the elimination of fraudulent withdrawals by corrupt individuals, the cumulative savings now total around Rs 5 lakh crore, according to a senior official.
This mirrors the findings of the DOGE initiative led by Elon Musk in the US, which identified social security benefits being awarded to deceased individuals.
The DBT model, based on Aadhaar-linked direct transfers to bank accounts, has removed intermediaries and ensured funds reach beneficiaries directly.
Officials noted that the savings are evident through the cancellation of duplicate LPG connections for subsidy claims, fake ration cards, and job cards under the MGNREGA rural employment scheme.
For instance, Rs 42,534 crore was saved by removing 7.1 lakh fraudulent job cards in MGNREGA during 2022-23. Additionally, Rs 73,443 crore was saved by eliminating 4.15 crore duplicate, fake, non-existent, or inactive LPG connections.
