"More than Rs 36,659 crore has been transferred by using Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through Public Financial Management System (PFMS) in the bank accounts of 16.01 crore beneficiaries during COVID-19 lockdown (the period between March 24, 2020, to April 17, 2020)," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.
"Payments were also made under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. Rs 500 was credited in women account holders' Jan Dhan accounts. Till April 13, the total number of women beneficiaries was 19.86 crore, which resulted in the disbursement of Rs 9,930 crore," added the ministry.
The Finance Ministry further said that PFMS usage for DBT payments increased over the last three fiscal years. The total DBT amount disbursed has increased from 22 per cent in FY 2018-19 to 45 per cent in FY 2019-20, said the ministry.
( With inputs from ANI )