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withdrawn the subsidy being given to the domestic LPG customers.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.
