LPG consumers in State give thumbs up to DBT scheme

The modified Direct Benefit Transfer scheme for LPG (domestic) refill supply has received the thumbs up in the State.

About 77 per cent of LPG domestic consumers have already come under the scheme, wherein subsidy towards the refill supply will be directly deposited to the consumers’ bank accounts.

The modified DBT scheme, wherein consumers were given the option to either link their Aadhaar-based bank account or ordinary bank account, was launched on November 15, 2014, in Mysuru and Tumakuru districts on a pilot basis. Then, the average State coverage was only about 25 per cent. It has jumped to 77 per cent in a span of three months, IOC Deputy General Manager (LPG) Dilip Rai said.

Of the 77 per cent consumers, about 50 per cent have linked their Aadhaar numbers under the scheme and the rest have given their ordinary bank account. The State has about one crore LPG domestic consumers, including 25 lakhs in Bengaluru.

The earlier version of the DBT introduced during Congress-led UPA government at the Centre in 2012 had initially met with stiff resistance from people. Under the old version of the scheme, the LPG consumers were supposed to link their Aadhaar-based bank accounts. Later, the scheme was modified following the Supreme Court direction to not make it mandatory for subsidy schemes.

The modified DBT was implemented Statewide from January 2015 and the consumers have three months grace period (from January 1, 2015) to come under the scheme.

The existing system of supplying the refill at subsidised rate at the consumers’ doorsteps will continue during the grace period for those who have not opted the scheme, Rai said.

He said after the expiry of the grace period (from April 1, 2015), the oil companies will start depositing the subsidy amount in a separate account for three months for consumers who have not come under the scheme.

The money will be transferred to the consumers’ bank accounts as and when they opt for the scheme. After three months (from July 1, 2015), those who fail to register under the scheme will end up losing the subsidy amount on LPG refill, he added.

Bengaluru at the bottom

Interestingly, Bengaluru Urban district is at the bottom of the list with 71.59 per cent, as far as the district-wise coverage of the scheme is concerned. Mysuru district tops the list with 97.47 per cent followed by Tumakuru district with 96.68 per cent.

In Bengaluru, the LPG cylinder distributors are delaying linking information given by the consumers under the scheme.

Though direction has been given to link on the spot, not many distributors are doing it. It has also resulted in delay in supply of refill cylinder to consumers.