New Delhi, The government has transferred more than Rs 36,659 crore directly to bank accounts of 16.01 crore beneficiaries of several central and state government schemes through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) during the nationwide lockdown, according to an official statement here.

"More than Rs 36,659 crore has been transferred by using direct benefit transfer (DBT)through the PFMS in the bank accounts of 16.01 crore beneficiaries during Covid-19 lockdown by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) office, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance," it said.

The amount has been disbursed between March 24 and April 17, 2020. During the period, many states, like UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, used the DBT to put cash in the bank accounts of beneficiaries, it said.

Of the total, Rs 27,442 crore was under the central sector schemes and Rs 9,717 crore under the state government schemes. Around 11.42 crore beneficiaries were of the centrally-sponsored schemes and 4.59 crore of state government schemes.

The central government schemes for which the beneficiaries received direct benefit transfers, included PM KISAN, Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), National Social Assistance Program (NSAP), Prime Minster's Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), National Health Mission (NHM), scholarship schemes of various ministries through National Scholarship Portal(NSP).

Further, payments were also made under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana. Under the scheme, the statement said, "Rs 500 was credited in the women account holder of Jan Dhan accounts. Till April 13, the total number of women beneficiaries were 19.86 crore, which resulted in disbursement of Rs 9,930 crore".