Modi says Direct Benefit Transfers averted about ₹5 lakh crore in leakages

During his address at the India Mobile Congress 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the role of digital governance in curbing fiscal leakages, estimating that the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism has saved the government about ₹5 lakh crore that would have otherwise been diverted. He described how payments now go straight to beneficiaries’ mobile-linked bank accounts, removing the need for intermediaries that previously facilitated corruption.

Modi pointed to the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme as a concrete example, where more than ₹4 lakh crore has been deposited directly into farmers’ accounts every four months, with notifications sent via mobile phones. He linked these savings to his broader effort to eliminate “wrong practices” and improve public trust in technology-driven services. The speech underscored the government's commitment to expanding digital payment infrastructure across welfare programs.