Express News Service : Pune, Fri Oct 25 2013, 02:36 hrs
The district administration awaits clarity from the state government on the direct benefit transfer (DBT) of LPG subsidy, which is scheduled to be rolled out in the city from November 1. Even as the Supreme Court ruled that Aadhaar cards were not mandatory for essential services and the government stated that the card was not mandatory for LPG subsidy until the apex court approved of it, Pune district authorities and gas distributors await instructions on the scheme's implementation. Pune District Collector Vikas Deshmukh said he hadn't received any instructions regarding it.
"Those who do not get their Aadhaar cards will not get the subsidy,'' said an official at the Mantralaya.
The response to the scheme has been poor in the city, so far, with just about 1.26 lakh LPG customers having linked their bank accounts with their Aadhaar cards to avail the subsidy benefit. Deshmukh said, "The administration is expecting to receive further instructions before November 1. There are 18.4 lakh LPG customers in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad area, of which about 1.26 lakh customers have submitted details of their bank accounts and Aadhaar numbers to their respective distributors of gas companies." the collector added.
An LPG distributor from Pune Camp said, "We are expecting some clarity on how the scheme is going to be rolled out. We are yet to get directions from the oil companies."
An official from the district food grain distribution office said a meeting of officials of fuel companies and LPG distributors were expected be to held soon to discuss issues pertaining to direct benefit transfer of LPG subsidy and submission of bank accounts details by customers with distributors.
The subsidy amount of a cylinder will be transferred to the bank account of the customer once a cylinder is booked. The customer has to purchase a cylinder from the distributor at market rate and will be given a receipt. Customers are expected to submit details of bank accounts and Aadhaar card numbers in the prescribed forms available with LPG distributors to avail the benefit. "Even as the Direct Bank Transfer scheme is an option as is done for other government schemes, there is no clarity on the same,'' added another official.