Landmark achieved: one mn cash transfers for LPG

The UPA government’s game-changer cash transfer scheme for cooking gas achieved a landmark with over a million transactions recorded within 25 days of its launch.

The UPA government’s game-changer cash transfer scheme for cooking gas achieved a landmark with over a million transactions recorded within 25 days of its launch.

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On June 1, the government had launched Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL) in 18 districts with a unique identification or Aadhaar number. As per the scheme, the Aadhaar-linked LPG customers are receiving in advance the subsidy for cooking gas in their bank accounts as soon as they book a cylinder. On the delivery of the first cylinder, the next subsidy amount is transferred into their bank accounts for the purchase of the second cylinder.

A government statement said over a million or 10 lakh transactions for the first and second cylinder have been completed so far. This means that of the 8 crore LPG customers, as many as 5 lakh have come under the DBTL.

The statement also said after September 1, 2013, gas cylinders would be sold to all LPG consumers at the market price and only those having Aadhaar-linked bank accounts would get the subsidy amount. “The subsidy will be transferred to only those who have linked Aadhaar number to LPG consumer number and bank account and others will not get any subsidy,” the statement said.

The government also said that all dealers have been asked to provide bank-Aadhaar linking forms to customers.