Lok Sabha Question No. 392 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-18
Subject: Multiple LPG Connections
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: MANSHANKAR NINAMA, VISHNU DAYAL RAM, BANSHILAL MAHTO, RAJESH VERMA

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 392 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 th  DECEMBER 2017

## MULTIPLE LPG CONNECTIONS

†392.  SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA: SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM: DR. BANSHILAL MAHATO: SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

## पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री

- Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state : (a) whether the Government has noticed that multiple LPG connections have been detected  after  linking  LPG  consumers  with  their  Aadhaar  number  and  if  so,  the details thereof along with the number of such cases identified and action taken by the Government thereon, State/ UT-wise; (b)  whether ceiling of 12 subsidised gas cylinders has reportedly been violated by more than 15 lakhs active domestic consumers in the country who are getting more than  12  subsidised  cylinders  in  a  year  and  if  so,  the  steps/action  taken  by  the Government to stop such violations, State/UT-wise; (c) the percentage of sale of subsidised LPG cylinders reduced under Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme (DBTL) for LPG consumers and the estimated financial savings on account of DBTL during the last three years and the current year; (d) whether the Government has taken note of instances of leaking of gas from LPG cylinders after setting the regulators supplied by the LPG distributors to consumers and if so, the details thereof along with the guidelines issued by the Government to LPG distributors to ascertain non-leakage of gas before delivering LPG cylinders to
- the consumers, State/UT-wise; and
- (e) whether reports/instances of gas agencies supplying under-weight LPG cylinders to the consumers have come to the notice of the Government and if so, the details thereof along with the number of such cases identified by the Government and the investigation  made  by  the  Government  in  the  country  particularly  in  Delhi  and Lucknow and action taken against the defaulter gas agencies, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री ( श्री धमेन्द्र प्रधान ) MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) An intensive de-duplication exercise on inter/intra company basis was carried out for  identifying  duplicate/fake/ghost/inactive  domestic  LPG  connections  based  on Aadhaar,  Bank  account,  name  &  address  by  Public  Sector  Oil  Marketing  Companies (OMCs).  State/UT- wise number of weeded out LPG customers as on 01.12.17 are at Annexure .

- (b) OMCs closely monitor the sale of subsidised LPG cylinders and ensure that there is no leakage of subsidy.
- (c) Estimated savings arising out of implementation of  PAHAL scheme is as under :-

| Year               | Estimated savings   |
|--------------------|---------------------|
| 2014-15            | 14,818.4 crore      |
| 2015-16            | 6,443 crore         |
| 2016-17            | 4,608 crore         |
| 2017-18(Apr.-Nov.) | 3,799 crore         |

These savings are on account of blocking of duplicate/fake/ghost/inactive domestic LPG connections identified through an intensive de-duplication exercise.

(d) OMCs have reported that LPG leakage can take place after setting regulator on a filled  LPG  cylinder,  only  due  to  improper  fitting  of  Pressure  Regulator  by  the customer. By turning off the Pressure Regulator, the leakage can be arrested.

Following measures are in place to ensure defect free cylinders and safe use of LPG -

- (i) The  LPG  cylinders  and  Pressure  Regulators  are  manufactured  as  per Indian  Standard  Specifications.  BIS  enforces  quality  control  over  the manufacturing process. At the time of receipt, all the cylinders are checked and  only  those  cylinders  with  ISI  marking  by  BIS  are  accepted  at  LPG bottling plants.
- (ii) All  LPG  cylinders  bottled  at  bottling  plants  are  checked  and  only  sound cylinders are sent for filling. After filling, all the cylinders are subjected to quality  checks  for  leaks,  including  O-ring  defect  using  electronic  leak
- detector and only cylinders passing the quality checks are dispatched to the distributors.
- (iii) LPG  cylinders  in  use  are  periodically  tested  for  safety  as  per  norms  of PESO.
- (iv) All distributors are under instructions to carry out pre-delivery check of the cylinders prior to taking it out for refill delivery from the LPG godown.

Further,  the  Government  has  launched  a  multilingual  24x7  LPG  Emergency Helpline Number 1906 on 1.1.2016.  This facility is available for attending emergency LPG  leakage  complaints.   The  call  center  is  having  a  web  based  application  for logging,  viewing  and  monitoring  the  call  logs  &  updation  of  contact  details  of  the mechanic & field officers. In order to have a more convenient, easy and effective way to enable  the customer  to  air their complaints, an  unique  toll  free  number 18002333555  is  in  operation  for  complaint  registration  through  call  centres  on Industry basis. Customers can also register their grievances online www.mylpg.in

(e) OMCs have informed that on the basis of complaints received, in 17 cases of pilferage/supply of partially used cylinders, were established during April, 2017 to September, 2017 in the country.  In all the established cases, action was taken by OMCs as per the provisions of Marketing Discipline Guidelines/Distributorship Agreement.

- ---------

| PQ 392 for 18.12.2017                                    | PQ 392 for 18.12.2017                                    | Annexure                                                 |
|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| State / UT- wise weeded out LPG customers as on 01.12.17 | State / UT- wise weeded out LPG customers as on 01.12.17 | State / UT- wise weeded out LPG customers as on 01.12.17 |
| S.No.                                                    | State/UT                                                 | Weeded Out Customers in Lakh                             |
| 1                                                        | Andaman and Nicobar Islands                              | 0.31                                                     |
| 2                                                        | Andhra pradesh                                           | 28.72                                                    |
| 3                                                        | Arunachal Pradesh                                        | 0.85                                                     |
| 4                                                        | Assam                                                    | 10.76                                                    |
| 5                                                        | Bihar                                                    | 11.42                                                    |
| 6                                                        | Chandigarh                                               | 1.59                                                     |
| 7                                                        | Chhattisgarh                                             | 5.48                                                     |
| 8                                                        | Dadra and Nagar Haveli                                   | 0.11                                                     |
| 9                                                        | Daman and Diu                                            | 0.19                                                     |
| 10                                                       | Delhi                                                    | 17.9                                                     |
| 11                                                       | Goa                                                      | 1.36                                                     |
| 12                                                       | Gujarat                                                  | 19.37                                                    |
| 13                                                       | Haryana                                                  | 11.09                                                    |
| 14                                                       | Himachal Pradesh                                         | 6.62                                                     |
| 15                                                       | Jammu and Kashmir                                        | 7.47                                                     |
| 16                                                       | Jharkhand                                                | 4.89                                                     |
| 17                                                       | Karnataka                                                | 15.28                                                    |
| 18                                                       | Kerala                                                   | 11.18                                                    |
| 19                                                       | Lakshadweep                                              | 0.01                                                     |
| 20                                                       | Madhya Pradesh                                           | 19.34                                                    |
| 21                                                       | Maharashtra                                              | 36.15                                                    |
| 22                                                       | Manipur                                                  | 1.11                                                     |
| 23                                                       | Meghalaya                                                | 0.67                                                     |
| 24                                                       | Mizoram                                                  | 0.72                                                     |
| 25                                                       | Nagaland                                                 | 0.79                                                     |
| 26                                                       | Odisha                                                   | 7.75                                                     |
| 27                                                       | Puducherry                                               | 0.56                                                     |
| 28                                                       | Punjab                                                   | 19.53                                                    |
| 29                                                       | Rajasthan                                                | 12.7                                                     |
| 30                                                       | Sikkim                                                   | 0.61                                                     |
| 31                                                       | Tamil Nadu                                               | 23.46                                                    |
| 32                                                       | Telangana                                                | 21.51                                                    |
| 33                                                       | Tripura                                                  | 1.19                                                     |
| 34                                                       | Uttar Pradesh                                            | 55.87                                                    |
| 35                                                       | Uttarakhand                                              | 7.73                                                     |
| 36                                                       | West Bengal                                              | 13.64                                                    |