The direct benefit transfer scheme could be introduced in the state by Independence Day.

Nearly a month after missing the scheduled launch date of July 1, authorities on Tuesday said they would need a fortnight more for completing the groundwork and introduce the scheme at Arwal, Sheohar and Sheikhpura districts.

Sanjeev Hans, the finance department secretary as well as the nodal officer of the DBT scheme in the state, told The Telegraph: “The preparations for the execution of the DBT (direct benefit transfer) scheme in the select three districts are almost complete. But according to a recent guideline from Central Planning Commission, all transfers under this scheme have to be done through Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS). All implementing agencies, including the departments concerned, district administration and the state government, have to be registered on the portal of CPSMS — www.cpsms.nic.in. But several departments concerned are yet to register themselves on the portal.”

An official who did not want to be quoted said the scheme would be rolled out in the three districts by Independence Day.

Arwal, Sheohar and Sheikhpura were among the 28 select districts where the DBT scheme was to be launched in the second phase on July 1. But the groundwork was not complete within the stipulated time and the introduction of the scheme was postponed. Hans claimed that similar delay was observed in few other states, including Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.

“Seven schemes would be initially linked with the DBT in Bihar. The databank of the beneficiaries of all such schemes have been uploaded and we are expecting the departments concerned to complete the registration formalities on the CPSMS portal within a fortnight,” said Hans.

Cash under seven schemes, including Janani Suraksha Yojana, National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education, National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme, and Post- and Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC/ST and OBC Students, would be directly transferred to the accounts of the beneficiaries once the DBT scheme is launched.

“Total 13,668 beneficiaries in Arwal district would be linked with the DBT scheme. Their biometric registration has been completed. After repeated requests, Unique Identification Authority of India has recently allotted around 1,000 Aadhaar numbers. We have uploaded our databank and registration details on the portal of the CPSMS and awaiting the digital authentication details (username and password) to launch the scheme,” said Kumar Digvijay, senior deputy collector, Arwal.

The officials of the other two districts echoed Digvijay. “The bank accounts of all the beneficiaries have been opened but Aadhaar numbers are yet to be allotted,” said Sanjay Kumar Singh, the district magistrate of Sheikhpura.