Abhilash Botekar, TNN Nov 4, 2013, 05.27AM IST
NASHIK: Only 4% of the LPG customers in the district have been linked to Aadhaar (Unique Identity Number, UID) and their bank accounts under the Direct Benefit Transfer LPG (DBTL), even as there are as many as 1.64 lakh customers with Aadhaar cards.
The district has nearly 10.03 lakh LPG customers who have their bank accounts under the DBTL. To get the subsidy delivered directly into their account, the customers are required to update the Aadhaar number with the LPD dealer and also furnish their bank account number
The process of linking the LPG account with Aadhar numbers began in September, for which, nearly 40 Aadhaar processing kits were given at LPG dealerships by the district administration.
However, by the first of November 2013, when the DBTL scheme was to be implemented by the central government, only 44,000 customers had updated the records of bank accounts and Aadhaar numbers, district supply officer Mahesh Patil said.
So far, a large number of customers have linked their bank accounts with the LPG accounts. Of these, many are yet to link their Aadhaar numbers as well, since processing of the Aadhaar number itself is a lengthy and a time consuming procedure.
Meanwhile, subsidies to those with LPG accounts linked to Aadhaar and bank accounts are already being provided. Every year, the central government will deposit the value of subsidy of maximum of nine cylinders in the bank account of the LPG customer as and when the customer books the cylinder. For example, a customer with the LPG account linked with his bank account and Aadhaar number, goes to buy a cylinder at the market rate of Rs 1,000, will be paid back the subsidy amount, say Rs 500, in his bank account by the government. The fresh subsidy will start and end with respect to the financial year. After January 2014, those who have not linked their bank accounts and Aadhaar numbers to the LPG accounts will not be applicable for subsidized rates.
As per the government decision, Aadhaar was made mandatory for customers to get LPG subsidy. In Nashik, November 2013 was the deadline, with a grace period of three months, to ensure that all LPG account holders updated their Aadhaar numbers and bank accounts. "Citizens who have their accounts linked with the Aadhaar number and bank accounts will get the subsidy, while those not linked so far, will not be getting the subsidy after the grace period ends. There have been no specific directions by the central government on the decision of the Supreme Court, which had said that Aadhaar was not compulsory to get any subsidy. We hope the issue will be sorted out by the end of the grace period -January end 2014," an official from the supply office said.