Question : LPG Connections to Consumers

(a) the details of policy/target set and achievement made to provide LPG to every household in the country and the number of new LPG connections provided to BPL/ poor families under new scheme and steps taken to clear the waiting lists of the LPG connections, during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
(b) the State/UT-wise number of LPG consumers registered in the country and the details of LPG coverage ratio in urban and rural areas separately at present and demand and supply position of LPG including LPG imported during the said period;
(c) whether cases of overcharging for new gas connection, operating fake connections in fake name/address by distributors, irregular home delivery/ booking, overcharging, underweight of cylinders, black marketing/diversion for commercial purpose such as hotel and restaurant of LPG cylinders have been noticed by the Government;
(d) if so, the details thereof along with gas agencies/companies found to be involved and action taken by the Government in this regard during the above said period, State/UT-wise including Tamil Nadu;
(e) the details of mechanism/guidelines prescribed in the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme (DBTL)/PAHAL for LPG consumer and quantum of subsidy disbursed and number of consumers enrolled their Aadhaar cards/benefitted so far, State/UT-wise; and
(f) the number of LPG consumers opted given up their LPG subsidy and number of consumers having economically well off section of society whose LPG subsidy is going to be ceased by the Government along with number of poor people to whom the said subsidy has been transferred?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) aim to increase the National LPG coverage to 75 % with minimum 60 % coverage at State level and at least one distributor in each block by 2019. At present, OMCs’ LPG distributors are catering to 97 % block of the country. OMCs are regularly appointing LPG distributors in the country. As on 01.02.2016, there are 17,543 LPG distributors in the country. OMCs are in the process of setting up 10,000 new LPG distributorships. As of 01.02.2016, 57,12,383 LPG connections have been issued to the BPL families under this scheme. State/UT-wise details of new LPG connections issued to BPL family under the Scheme during the last three years and current year (Apr-Jan 16) is at Annexure-I
Recently, Finance Minister in Budget Speech on 29 February 2016 has announced a budgetary provision of Rs. 2000 crore to provide deposit free LPG connections to 1.5 crore women belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families during the year 2016-17. The LPG connection will be in the name of women member of the BPL family. The Scheme will be continued for at least two more years to cover a total of 5 crore BPL households which will also increase LPG coverage.
OMCs have informed that normally they endeavour to release new LPG connection within seven working days after making KYC/de-duplication formalities.
(b) State/UT-wise details of active LPG consumers as on 01.01.2016 are at Annexure-II. State/UT-wise details of LPG coverage ratio in urban and rural areas are at Annexure-III.
For the current year(2016) against the projected demand of 21.0 MMT, the projected/tentative availability of indigenous LPG in the country is 11.1 MMT. To meet this demand, imports of 9.9 MMT have already been tied up.
(c) & (d) OMCs have informed that there are provisions of Marketing Discipline Guidelines(MDG)/ distributorship agreement for taking action against the erring LPG distributorships, if they notice any established cases of irregularities committed by them. State/UT-wise including the State of Tamil Nadu details of established cases of irregularities including diversion, overcharging, pilferage etc. during the period of last three years and current year are at Annexure-IV. (e) Under PAHAL (DBTL) Scheme, the LPG cylinders are being sold at non-subsidised price and subsidy, as admissible, is being transferred to consumers directly into his/her bank account. As on 03.03.2016, 15.18 crore LPG consumers have joined the scheme and Rs. 24304.32 crore subsidy has been transferred to the beneficiaries.
(f) ) As on 09.03.2016, more than 83 lakh consumers have voluntarily given up/surrendered subsidy on LPG. Every LPG consumer, who surrenders LPG subsidy, is linked to a BPL household who gets LPG connection in turn. More than 50 lakh LPG new connections have been released to BPL families from 01.01.2015 to 06.03.2016.