In a recent interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized his efforts to enhance government efficiency by curbing the misuse of social welfare funds – a goal similar to that of President Donald Trump’s newly introduced DOGE program in the US.
PM Modi recalled that upon taking office, he implemented the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, which streamlined social welfare distribution by eliminating fraudulent and non-existent beneficiaries.
This reform helped prevent significant fund leakage caused by corrupt intermediaries.
PM Modi told Lex Fridman that after taking office in 2014, he noticed India’s absence from many global discussions, unlike the widespread attention surrounding President Trump and the DOGE program today. The Prime Minister discovered that countless individuals who did not exist were exploiting government welfare schemes and illegally claiming benefits.
According to senior officials, by March 2023, DBT had resulted in savings of approximately Rs 3.48 lakh crore.
With an estimated Rs 64,000 crore saved annually by preventing fraudulent withdrawals, the cumulative savings have now surpassed Rs 5 lakh crore.
The DOGE program in the US, backed by Elon Musk, uncovered that authorities had allocated social security benefits to deceased individuals, revealing a similar pattern.
The DBT mechanism, which directly transfers funds to bank accounts, has significantly reduced inefficiencies across various welfare schemes.
Officials highlighted major savings in key areas, such as:
- MGNREGA (Rural Employment Scheme): Rs 42,534 crore saved in 2022-23 by removing 7.1 lakh fake job cards.
- LPG Subsidy: Rs 73,443 crore saved by identifying and eliminating 4.15 crore duplicate, fake, or inactive LPG connections.
The government continues to enhance the DBT framework, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in welfare distribution.
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