Economy

E-Wallets to Be Created Soon to Distribute Subsidies to Farmers

To speed up the disbursal of fertilizer subsidies, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will hold a meeting to discuss the use of e-wallets for farmers. The government is working on a plan that will enable the direct disbursal of subsidies straight to farmers’ e-wallets,  fast-tracking the entire process and make it more efficient.

Under the new system, the subsidies will be paid to farmers directly, once the system of e-wallets gets created. Even though the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme was launched by the government back in 2013, the transfer of subsidies was being done directly to the concerned company instead of the farmers’ bank accounts. The companies used to get paid once a sale was made.

Also Read: Centre Launches Krishi Kisan and CHC Farm Machinery App for Farmers

Farmers in India battle several issues each year with irregular monsoons, and unstable commodity prices. One of the features of these e-wallets is that the money transferred will not lapse, and hence the farmers can carry over the unused amounts to the next crop season. As agriculture is the backbone of our economy, the government is always looking to introduce measures to protect farmers and drive agricultural growth.  

Once this facility of e-wallets gets introduced, which is expected to be by the end of this year, banks will only have one or two months to comply with norms that involve the linking of the e-wallets with the Kisan cards. The move will overall bring down corruption levels and ease the process of subsidy disbursal for all concerned.

This move of initiating e-wallets could be the catalyst required to increase the incumbent government’s vote-bank share in the upcoming state elections taking place from next month onwards. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has stated that the government aims to double farmers’ incomes by 2022.

For any clarifications/feedback on the topic, please contact the writer at athena.rebello@cleartax.in

Share

Recent Posts

Mutual Funds: SIP Inflows Breach Rs 19,000-Crore Mark for the First Time in February ’24

The systematic investment plan (SIP) contribution in February 2024 has crossed a new milestone. The monthly contribution tipped at Rs…

8 months ago

Income-Tax Return: A Brief Note on Annual Information Statement (AIS)

The Income-Tax (I-T) Department has directed taxpayers to access the Annual Information Statement (AIS) via the e-filing official portal and…

8 months ago

Mutual Funds: All About SIP and Market Fluctuations

Considering the vagaries of the stock market, investors often ponder over reevaluating their strategies. Whether to continue to remain invested…

8 months ago

Income-Tax Saving Through Strategic Life Insurance Planning

Financial planning is beyond just investing wisely to save on taxes; it's also related to protecting oneself and one's loved…

8 months ago

Income-Tax Return: Here’s a Note on Tax-Saving Avenues

A salaried individual earning up to Rs 5-15 lakh as net salary on an annual basis must first take stock…

8 months ago

A Quick Take on Equity-Linked Savings Scheme

Equity-linked savings schemes (ELSS), also referred to as tax-saving schemes, are equity funds that invest a significant portion of their…

8 months ago