Agencies get ready for direct benefit transfer of LPG

After a preliminary meeting in Mumbai on Friday, the agencies in the district are meeting next week to resume linking the scheme with Aadhaar and getting details of bank accounts of consumers to pass on the announced subsidy.

The difference between subsidised rate and market price will be transferred to the bank account of a consumer when he he or she makes the first booking for a cylinder after joining the scheme. After the consumer takes the cylinder, an advance subsidy is transferred to the account.

Under the scheme, there are two options — consumer needs to give Aadhaar number to LPG distributor and bank details to link the number and account to join the scheme. Those who do not have the number have to give the bank account and the 17 digit LPG ID to the bank to the join the scheme.

“Once they join, they will get a one-time permanent advance of Rs 568 in their account on booking the first refill and the LPG cylinder will be delivered at market price and the due subsidy as per entitlement will be transferred to the bank account on the next refill,” said an agency owner from Pune.

The owner said those who joined the scheme earlier — there is 50 per cent coverage — received one-time permanent advance/subsidy and need not repeat the procedure and will start receiving subsidy in their accounts as they get LPG refills with effect from January 1. Customers will be given cylinders at a subsidy for a grace period of three months, he added.

After that a 3-month ‘Parking Period’ will be provided to those who could not join the scheme and their subsidy will remain parked with the oil company. “It will be credited to bank accounts only if they join the scheme during the ‘’parking period’’. If one doesn’t join the scheme during the parking period, subsidy will lapse,” said the dealer.

“For such customers, one can join the scheme and get one-time permanent advance and regular subsidy as per entitlement from date of joining only,” added the dealer.

Wardha and Amravati districts in the state have been covered in the first phase and the second phase will cover the remaining districts.