The Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum
& Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan informed the Rajya Sabha in a written
reply today that Government has not withdrawn the subsidy being given to the
domestic LPG customers. It has introduced the Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG
(DBTL) scheme, namely, ‘PAHAL’. Under the Scheme, LPG consumers joining the
scheme, will get the LPG cylinders at market price and will receive LPG subsidy
(as per their entitlement) directly into their bank accounts.
The scheme was launched in 54 districts on
15.11.2014 and in rest of country on 01.01.2015. On joining the scheme every
LPG consumer is at present entitled for a Permanent Advance (PA) of Rs 568/-,
which is provided in addition to the prevalent subsidy on the date of delivery
of each subsidized cylinder. This is to enable a LPG consumer buy the first
cylinder under the scheme which is delivered at market determined price. All
LPG consumers who have not joined the scheme, are given a grace period of three
months from the date of launch to join the scheme. During grace period such
consumers will get LPG as per their entitlement at subsidized price.
Additionally, a period of three months beyond grace period known as parking period
is given to LPG consumers for joining the scheme. During parking period such
consumers will get cylinders as per their entitlement at market price and
subsidy will be kept parked with OMCs. This parked subsidy would be released to
consumer as soon as consumer joins the scheme. However, if a consumer joins the
scheme after parking period, the parked subsidy would lapse and consumer will
get subsidy from prospective date only.The scheme is aimed to transfer the
subsidy benefit directly to beneficiary and curb diversion/black marketing of
LPG cylinders.
