Question : LPG Customer Services

(a) whether the system of booking on customer service centre/mobile booking system is on the verge of collapse and if so, the details thereof and the action taken in this regard, State/UT/Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs)-wise;
(b) the efforts made by the Government to provide efficient customers service on each LPG outlets across the country, State/ UT/OMC-wise;
(c) whether the Government proposes to sell 2-5 kg LPG cylinders to the various households across the country;
(d) if so, the eligibility criteria fixed by the Government and the steps taken to popularise the use of such cylinders in the country along with the fund allocated for the purpose and the time by which the said proposal be implemented, State/UT/OMC-wise;
(e) the details of the LPG consumers linked their Aadhaar cards to their bank accounts and the National Payments Corporation of India has identified the Bank Account of all consumers of Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL), State/UT/ OMC-wise including Tamil Nadu;
(f) whether the Government has fixed criteria to obtain the benefit of DBTL through Aadhaar Card only resulting deprived of the DBTL benefit to some of them and if so, the details thereof along with other mode of DBTL beneficiary has been worked out by the Government; and
(g) whether the Government proposes online booking facility to refill of LPG cylinders and if so, the details thereof, State/ UT/OMC-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have reported that Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS)/ Short Message Services(SMS) refill booking system is working satisfactorily since inception. Presently, more than 65 % of refill bookings are received through IVRS system without any manual intervention of the distributors or their staff.
(b) Some of the initiatives undertaken to provide efficient service to LPG customers are :-
? Unique toll free number 18002333555 is in operation for complaint registration through call centers, on industry basis, to have a convenient, easy and effective way to enable the customer to air their complaints,.
? Know Your Customer (KYC) initiative for all new connections/multiple connections/transferred/inactive customers so that customers with proper identity and address proof are enrolled at distributors.
? SAHAJ- a online new connection request with online payment facility having tracking options.
? Transparency Portal wherein the customer can see the consumption pattern of refills, can lodge complaints and also rate the performance of his distributor.
? Rating of distributors on the website based on the delivery pattern.
? Detail of customer service cell and concerned officer (Name, Tel. No.) looking after the distributor operations are displayed in the showroom of the distributors. Periodic advertisements to this effect are also published in leading dailies.
? Intra & Intercompany Connection Portability, which empowers customers to change dealer at their choice, if they are not satisfied with the service.
(c) & (d) Government has allowed the sale of 5 Kg LPG cylinders with / without Domestic Pressure Regulator (DPR) through Retail Outlets of Public Sector Oil Marketing companies (OMCs) which are accessible to all and are open for longer hours. Subsequently, sale of 5 Kg Free Trade LPG(FTL) cylinder has been extended to LPG distributorship points and Kirana /General stores etc also for the convenience of the target consumers. As on 31.10.2015, the scheme is under operation from 261 retail outlets, 484 distributorship points and 194 Kirana/general stores, on industry basis.
(e) & (f) LPG consumers who join the PAHAL scheme, get the LPG cylinders at market price and receive LPG subsidy (as per their entitlement) directly into their bank accounts. To join PAHAL, all domestic LPG consumers have been given two alternatives in the scheme. If LPG consumer has Aadhaar number, he/ she requires to link it to his/ her LPG consumer ID and bank account. Alternatively, he/ she can link his bank account directly to his/her LPG consumer ID. As on 02.12.2015, 14.62. crore have joined the PAHAL Scheme.
State/UT wise details of LPG consumers including for the State of Tamil Nadu, joined the PAHAL scheme as on 02.12.2015 is at Annexure - I.
(g) LPG customers have the facility to book their refill booking by web through www.mylpg.in or www.indane.co.in/ebharatgas.com/hpgas.com from their registered login. By this facility, customer can get the status of their booked refills through SMS and e-mails. State/UT wise list of distributors having online refill booking facility is at Annexure-II.
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