Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches CBDC-Based DBT in Chandigarh, Paving the Way for Greater Transparency in PDS

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)‑based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) pilot for the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Chandigarh on 14 August 2026. The system, demonstrated at Tagore Theatre and attended by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, aims to deliver payments for wheat, rice, pulses and other essential foodgrains directly to beneficiaries, with technological safeguards that restrict use to food items, thereby enhancing transparency, security and timeliness. The pilot is presented as a model for nationwide rollout, linking food security with farmer welfare and broader government digital initiatives.