The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today approved the Modified Direct Benefit
Transfer Scheme in LPG being re-launched in 54 districts from mid-November,
2014 and in rest of country from 1.1.15. The Cabinet has revisited the scheme
design and processes and after thorough review, it has approved the Modified
DBTL which will alleviate the hardships of the LPG consumers faced by them in
the earlier scheme.
The salient features of the Modified DBTL scheme are as
follows:
- The subsidy per domestic subsidized
cylinder shall be fixed.
- All LPG consumers who join the modified
DBTL scheme in future can receive LPG cash subsidy:
-
By linking Aadhaar number to the LPG and bank
database as the primary option.
OR
-
Directly into the bank account without
necessarily linking it with the use of Aadhaar as the secondary option.
This will ensure that no consumer is denied
LPG subsidy for want of Aadhaar number.
- All LPG consumers who had already joined
the scheme solely based on Aadhaar number will start getting subsidy in
their Aadhaar linked bank accounts after scheme is launched.
- LPG consumers will get a Grace Period
of 3 months during which consumers who have joined the scheme will get
subsidy in bank account and others will continue to get cylinders at
subsidized price.
- LPG consumers who do not join the scheme
after the 3 month grace period, will be eligible for an additional subsidy
Parking Period of 3 months. During this period, LPG cylinders
to all such consumers will be supplied at market price, but the subsidy
due on all LPG supplies will be credited to the bank account as soon as
consumer joins the scheme in this period and as per entitlement.
- LPG consumers who will now join the
modified scheme in future will get a permanent advance towards the
purchase of the first market priced cylinder equal to the fixed subsidy
per cylinder.
- A revamped grievance system to attend to
consumer grievances will be put in place.
The Modified DBTL scheme will ensure that
entitlement of LPG consumers is not diverted for ineligible purpose and public
funds so saved can be utilized in nation building. LPG consumers are advised to
join the scheme to protect their entitlement of subsidized cylinders.
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AK/SH/SK