Question : Direct Subsidy to Consumers

(a) whether the Government has relaunched/proposes to relaunch the Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL)/PAHAL scheme to transfer LPG subsidy directly into the beneficiaries accounts so as to enable them to buy LPG Cylinders at market price and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the number of districts proposed to be covered in the first instance;
(c) whether Aadhaar number has been made mandatory for all beneficiaries to avail the benefit of the said scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the consumers who do not have the Aadhaar numbers will also be entitled to avail the facility of getting the benefit of the DBTL and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) & (b) PAHAL (DBTL) Scheme was launched in 54 districts of the country on 15.11.2014. Subsequently, the scheme was extended to rest of the country on 01st January, 2015. Under the Scheme, the LPG cylinders are being sold at non-subsidised price and subsidy, as admissible, is transferred to consumers directly into his/her bank account subject to applicable cap on subsidized refills. As on date, PAHAL is being implemented in all the States/UTs.
(c) & (d) As per Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services Act, 2016), under Section 7 for use of Aadhaar, all LPG consumers are advised to link Aadhaar number to their LPG consumer number by
31.03.2018, except for the consumers based in the States of Jammu & Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya.
In case, a customer is not having Aadhaar card then he/she can also submit the enrolment ID with relevant details at his/her LPG distributor and can receive subsidy. Moreover, LPG customers can also receive subsidy on submission of any of the following documents - Voter ID card or Ration card or Kisan Photo Passbook or passport or driver license along with a declaration form.