November 27, 2011
The pilot project to link Aadhaar cards to the supply of LPG cylinders in the city is likely to be scrapped.
The state government is having second thoughts about it following the decision of the Centre to not fix a cap on subsidised cylinders for now. The department of civil supplies had identified Hyderabad for implementing the pilot project with regard to supply of LPG cylinders and Ranga Reddy for supply of kerosene.
It had selected three gas agencies in Secunderabad for supplying LPG cylinders linked to the Aadhaar card — Madhu Gas Agency (HPCL), Mahalaxmi Gas Agency (BPCL) and Padma Gas Agency (IOC). The gas agencies had to collect the details of the Aadhaar card and bank account number of each and every consumer as part of the pilot project. The government’s idea was to make the consumer pay the entire amount of `702 per gas cylinder and later reimburse the subsidy amount of Rs 300 directly into the consumer’s bank account. This cash transfer scheme was to apply only to single connection consumers.
At present, the consumer pays Rs 402 per cylinder, with the Centre paying Rs 275 and the state government Rs 25, as subsidy. The government thus pays `300 to oil firms for each cylinder they supply to consumers. The three gas agencies have already started collecting Aadhaar card and bank account details from their consumers. “We have collected the details of nearly 15 per cent of our consumers till now. However, with the delay in issuing the Aadhaar cards, the pilot project could not be completed,” said Mr Ashok Kumar, president, Greater Hyderabad LPG Distributors’ Association.
The pilot project was not welcomed by consumers as several consumers hold multiple gas connections and were concerned that the subsidy amount would be paid only for the single cylinder. The civil supplies department maintains that it is yet to receive any official communication from the Centre about scrapping the pilot project.
The state government is having second thoughts about it following the decision of the Centre to not fix a cap on subsidised cylinders for now. The department of civil supplies had identified Hyderabad for implementing the pilot project with regard to supply of LPG cylinders and Ranga Reddy for supply of kerosene.
It had selected three gas agencies in Secunderabad for supplying LPG cylinders linked to the Aadhaar card — Madhu Gas Agency (HPCL), Mahalaxmi Gas Agency (BPCL) and Padma Gas Agency (IOC). The gas agencies had to collect the details of the Aadhaar card and bank account number of each and every consumer as part of the pilot project. The government’s idea was to make the consumer pay the entire amount of `702 per gas cylinder and later reimburse the subsidy amount of Rs 300 directly into the consumer’s bank account. This cash transfer scheme was to apply only to single connection consumers.
At present, the consumer pays Rs 402 per cylinder, with the Centre paying Rs 275 and the state government Rs 25, as subsidy. The government thus pays `300 to oil firms for each cylinder they supply to consumers. The three gas agencies have already started collecting Aadhaar card and bank account details from their consumers. “We have collected the details of nearly 15 per cent of our consumers till now. However, with the delay in issuing the Aadhaar cards, the pilot project could not be completed,” said Mr Ashok Kumar, president, Greater Hyderabad LPG Distributors’ Association.
The pilot project was not welcomed by consumers as several consumers hold multiple gas connections and were concerned that the subsidy amount would be paid only for the single cylinder. The civil supplies department maintains that it is yet to receive any official communication from the Centre about scrapping the pilot project.