TNN Jan 22, 2014, 12.26AM IST
BANGALORE: Neena Jose, a homemaker from Baiyappanahalli, was perplexed when the cooking gas delivery boy told her that Rs 407 will be credited to her Aadhaar-linked bank account after three days and that her bank account already has Rs 435. She had paid the market price of Rs 1,267 for the cylinder. But she had no idea that money was credited in her account as she was not notified, she says.
There is confusion out there in the Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL). While some consumers are getting their token advance before their refills are delivered, others are waiting endlessly. However, oil companies and gas agencies maintain cash is being transferred directly to consumers' bank accounts. This is for those who have produced their Aadhaar credentials from December 1, 2013 in Bangalore.
But the authorities swear that it is not mandatory to have Aadhaar to avail the subsidy. Bangalore district is among 34 cities which have been included for DBTL. It was made mandatory in Mysore and Tumkur before the Supreme Court passed an interim order in the LPG-Aadhaar link.
If you have Aadhaar card...
* If you have Aadhaar card and have linked it to your LPG connection, you need to link your bank account with Aadhaar.
* After this, when you book your first refill, the gas company identifies you through your Aadhaar credentials and transfers Rs 435 as a token one time advance to identify you as a DBTL consumer.
* This amount remains in your bank account until you surrender the connection.
* The rest of the subsidy is credited to your account in six to 10 days after verifying with your Aadhaar and bank account.
* From the time you book your second refill to the ninth refill, you pay as per the market price of the cooking gas from your pocket. However you will get the entire subsidy amount in one go. The subsidy is transferred to your bank account in full after six to 10 days
* Thereafter, from the 10th refill onwards, you pay as per the market price without any subsidy.
If you do not have Aadhaar...
* If you do not have Aadhaar but you have a gas connection, you will not be refused a refill.
* You pay only the subsidized amount to the delivery boy.
* If you don't have Aadhaar and you want a gas connection at subsidized rate, you will have to furnish your ration card or a valid identity proof and address proof with the distributing agency.
* The first nine refills will be delivered at subsidized rate and thereafter, will be charged as per market price of cooking gas cylinder.
(Note: Though the oil minister has announced hiking the number of subsidized gas cylinders to 12, it awaits cabinet clearance.)
Payment time varies, don't panic
"We have not made Aadhaar mandatory in Bangalore. We have not refused LPG to anybody not having Aadhaar, till date. We insist consumers to furnish Aadhaar credentials if they have one, to facilitate the subsidy through DBTL. The payment is done through National Payment Corporation of India and DBTL which has tied up with State Bank of India. The payment is done within six to 10 days and sometimes, three days. When people don't get the refund/subsidy immediately, they tend to panic. But there is no need."
Abhijit De, chief area manager, Indane, IOCL
Link one bank account to Aadhaar, LPG
"There is absolutely no confusion between companies and distributors. When we get complaints on reimbursement, we go back to data seeded with our system. Problems arise when a person links the LPG connection with one bank account and Aadhaar with another bank account. People are not checking advertisements which are clear enough. Consumers who don't have Aadhaar are put on separate billing process by distributors. Until you produce an Aadhaar number to the distributing agency, the software with the agency will not show 'scheme change to DBTL'. Normally there are no errors as this is a nationwide software provided by oil companies."
Sathyan N, All India LPG distributors' federation (Karnataka circle)
Oil cos only following advisory
"The case regarding Aadhaar linkage to DBTL is still pending in Supreme Court and the next hearing is scheduled for January 28. The apex court has asked state governments to submit their versions on the case. As for the submission for Aadhaar for LPG subsidy, oil companies are following an advisory kind of method wherein they are asking customers to submit their Aadhaar numbers."
Ashok Lenin, deputy director (Bangalore regional office), UIDAI
ALL ABOUT LPG IN CITY
Rs1,267 : Price of 14.2kg LPG cylinder at market rate as on Jan 21, 2014
Rs 425: Subsidized rate of 14.2kg cylinder as on Jan 21, 2014
Rs 842: Subsidy entitled to consumer
