With a view to preventing diversion of subsidized fertilizers for industrial use and their smuggling across the border, the government on Monday soft-launched the direct benefits transfer (DBT) scheme for the commodity in the national capital.
The scheme will be scaled up to at least 10 states including Gujarat, Maharashtra and the North-East as well as to the Union territories in September, a government official privy to the development said on condition of anonymity. “By end of December, we intend to extend the scheme to the entire country,” the official added.
Industry leaders said they are ready for a nationwide rollout of the scheme that could help prevent the leakage of subsidies meant for farmers.