Near cash transfers

The main objective of cash and near cash transfer programs is to increase poor and vulnerable households real incomes. The main difference between cash, near cash—such as food stamps, coupons, or vouchers that may be used to purchase food—and in-kind transfers is the amount of choice given to beneficiaries in acquiring the types of commodities they want to consume. Cash transfers obviously allow recipients to purchase anything they wish near cash transfers, such as food stamps, can restrict recipients choices to certain types of commodities while in-kind transfers limit the selection to the commodities received. Some programs deliver transfers that are partially in cash and partially in kind and others provide vouchers, coupons, or stamps, which are something in between in cash and in kind. 

Cash and near cash transfers Needs based... 

The compensation policies for which this book is pertinent are mostly cash transfers or near cash transfers such as food stamps or heating vouchers. Other compensatory mechanisms, such as lifeline utility pricing for low-volume users or training programs for workers laid off from state enterprise reform, are common elements accompanying such reforms, but are outside the scope of this book. 

Food stamps, coupons, or vouchers. See near cash transfers. 

Near cash transfers. Include food stamps, coupons, or vouchers that may be used by households to purchase food at authorized retail locations. These instruments can nominally or actually restrict recipients choices to certain types of commodities but effectively alleviate the budget constraint in fungible ways. 

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