1.      The Direct Benefit transfer of LPG (DBTL) scheme PAHAL (Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh) has been re-launched in 54 districts on 15.11.2014 in the 1^st Phase and will be launched in the rest of the 622 districts of the country on 1.1.2015.

2.       Consumers who wish to join the scheme will have to either link their Aadhaar number into their bank account and their LPG consumer or if they do not possess Aadhaar number, they will have to link their bank account directly with their 17 digit LPG Id. Once a Consumer joins the scheme, he will get the cylinders at market price and will receive LPG subsidy directly in his bank account. A sum of Rs.568 will be paid in advance to the consumer, in the bank account, who now joins the scheme, as soon as he makes the first booking for a cylinder after joining the scheme to ensure that he has extra money required to pay for the first LPG cylinder at market price. This is in addition to subsidy that is paid on each cylinder.  Camps are being set up at various banks, and LPG distributor’s premises to enable LPG consumers to open bank account and enroll for Aadhaar if they need to do so to join the scheme.

3.      To keep consumers informed about their status in the scheme, consumers will receive SMS at every stage in the scheme. To avail of this feature all LPG consumers are requested to register their mobile number with their distributor if they have not done so. They are also advised to receive cylinders only with cash memos to be assured of their subsidy transfer.

4.      The scheme will cover over 15.3 crore consumers across 676 districts of the country. Currently over 6.5 crore consumers i.e. 43% have already joined the scheme and will receive subsidy in their bank account.

5.      DBTL is designed to ensure that the benefit meant for the genuine domestic customer reaches them directly and is not diverted. By this process public money will be saved. All LPG customers are requested to immediately join the scheme as above (Detailed Scheme is in Annexure).

6.      All LPG consumers who are yet to join the scheme must do so quickly. Those who do not have bank accounts must first open bank accounts and then submit the required details to their LPG distributor/Bank for becoming cash transfer compliant.

7.      As on 30.12.2014, an amount of Rs.624 Crore has been transferred to over 20 Lakh LPG consumers since the launch of the scheme on 15^th November 2014.

8.      LPG consumers who do not wish to avail the LPG subsidy for LPG cylinders can simply choose to opt out of subsidy. Over 12000 citizens have already voluntarily given up subsidy freeing up crores of subsidy amount for their less privileged brethren.

Annexure

Salient Features/Timelines of the modified DBTL scheme

What if LPG consumer had joined the scheme earlier?

LPG consumers who had joined the scheme earlier by linking his Aadhaar number in LPG and Bank database will get the cylinder at Market price w.e.f 1.1.15 and the subsidy will be transferred into their bank account. They do not have to do anything further. They can check CTC (cash transfer compliance) status on www.mylpg.in.

How to Join the modified Scheme?

For joining the scheme, the consumers have to fill up a form available with distributors and also on www.mylpg.in. The options are as under:

1.      LPG consumers can join the scheme by providing their Aadhaar number to LPG distributor and to Bank.

2.      LPG consumers who do not have Aadhaar number can

a.       Give Bank details to LPG distributor OR

b.      Give 17 digit LPG ID to the Bank (select banks only).

 What happens if the LPG Consumer joins the scheme or if he doesn’t join it?

Once the scheme is launched on 1.1.15, LPG consumers who join the scheme will get a one time permanent advance of Rs.568/- as soon as they book a cylinder after joining the scheme.

All consumers who have joined the scheme will get LPG cylinders at market price and subsidy amount in their bank account after launch of the scheme in their district/state.

Between 1^st January 2015 and 31^st March 2015 (three months), any LPG consumer who does not join the scheme will get the cylinder at subsidized price as they are getting it today.

Between 1^st April 2015 and 30^th June 2015 (three months), those LPG consumers who still do not join the scheme will start getting the cylinder at market price and subsidy will be parked with the OMCs. As soon as they join the scheme within this 3 month period, the parked subsidy would be sent to their bank account, else it will lapse.

From 1^st July 2015, consumers who have still not joined the scheme will get the cylinder at market price, but subsidy will not be admissible. Subsidy will be transferred only to the bank account of those consumers who have joined the scheme prior to 30^th June 2015.

Any consumer joining the scheme after 30^th June 2015 will get permanent advance and subsidy with prospective effect.

What happens to the LPG Consumers of the 54 districts where the scheme is ongoing?

1.      All consumers who have joined the scheme from 15^th November 2014 are getting LPG cylinders at market price and cash in their bank accounts. They have also got the one time permanent advance of Rs.568/- on booking a cylinder after joining the scheme.

2.      Between 15^th November 2014 and 14^th February 2015 (three months), LPG consumers in these 54 districts who do not join the scheme will continue to get the cylinder at subsidized price as they are getting it today.

3.      Between 15^th February 2015 and 14^th May 2015 (three months), those LPG consumers who still do not join the scheme will start getting the cylinder at market price and cash admissible will be parked with the OMCs. If they join the scheme within this 3 month period, the parked cash would be sent to their bank account, else it will lapse.

4.      From 15^th May 2015, consumers who have still not joined the scheme will get the cylinder at market price, however, cash subsidy will not be admissible. 

MJPS/Rk