CMs urge caution on cash transfer of subsidies

Several states governments have called for caution on the centre's plan for direct cash transfer of subsidies, especially food bypassing the public distribution system, slated to kick off in 43 districts on 1 January.

Chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tripura and Jharkhand lashed out at the centre's  'game-changer' plan saying the cash transfers would not work for food and fertilizer as prices are going up every day, making essentials our of reach of the poor and the middle class.

Addressing the National Development Council meeting to approve the 12th Plan document Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalithaa, said it was the Centre's ''short-sightedness'' to tout the cash transfer scheme as the panacea for all ills in implementation of the subsidy schemes. It could only help to burden the banking system, she added.

''It is almost as if the central government is trying to abdicate its responsibility and just throw money around'', she said.

Jayalalithaa also slammed the centre for delaying the grant of a digital addressable system (DAS) licence to the state-run Aarsu Cable TV Corporation. Metros such as Kolkata and Chennai have been asked to shift to the digital addressable system (DAS) by December-end.

She said the vindictive and discriminatory act of the centre is condemnable and is yet another example of subverting the interest of the common people and the perpetual pandering to allies to ensure survival.