Lok Sabha Question No. 2419 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-08
Subject: Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Sumedhanand Saraswati, Nihal Chand Chauhan

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2419 TO BE ANSWERED ON  8 th  JULY, 2019

Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG

†2419. SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARSWATI: SHRI NIHAL CHAND:

## पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details and number of LPG gas connection holders and kerosene users in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the subsidy to the people using kerosene is directly transferred to their bank account just like in the case of LPG connection holders and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  transfer  the  subsidy  directly  in  the  bank account of the people using kerosene, if so, the details thereof along with the time by when the same would be implemented and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government has issued policy guidelines for Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL) and if so, the details thereof and the targets fixed in this regard;
- (e)  the  extent  to  which  DBTL  scheme  has  been  successful  in  checking  fraud  in distribution system along with the number of illegal connections identified across the country, State/UT-wise; and
- (f)  the  corrective  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  in  this  regard  for making this scheme successful effectively?

## ANSWER

## पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री ( श्री धमेन्द्र प्रधान )

MINISTER OF  PETROLEUM  AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI  DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) State/UT-wise details of LPG consumers as on 01.06.2019 are at Annexure. Government  of  India  (Ministry  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas)  makes allocation of Public Distribution System (PDS) Kerosene on quarterly basis to States/UTs.  Further distribution of PDS Kerosene within the States/UTs under PDS network to various categories of ration card holders/consumers is the responsibility of the concerned States/UTs.  Scale and criteria of distribution are also decided by

respective State/UT. Therefore, the details and number of Kerosene consumers may be available with the respective State Govt./UT administration only.

(b) & (c) Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has launched Direct Benefit Transfer in PDS Kerosene (DBTK) Scheme. The DBTK Scheme is being implemented with an objective  to  bring reforms  in  Allocation  and  Distribution  of  PDS  SKO  distribution system. Under the DBTK Scheme, as a part of distribution reforms, PDS Kerosene is sold to the identified beneficiaries at non-subsidized rate and the applicable subsidy is directly transferred into the bank account of the beneficiaries. The State Government of Jharkhand has implemented DBTK in all the 24 districts. The consent of  State/UT  is  is  required  for  implementation  of  DBTK.  Ministry  of  Petroleum  & Natural Gas has taken up with the States/UTs to implement DBTK Scheme.

(d) Government, as a measure of Good Governance had introduced well targeted system of subsidy delivery to LPG consumers through PAHAL(DBTL). The initiative of  the  Government was aimed at rationalizing subsidies based on approach to cut subsidy leakages, but not  subsidies  themselves.  Under  PAHAL  Scheme,  the  LPG cylinders  are  sold  at  non-subsidised  price  and  the  applicable  subsidy  to  LPG consumers  is  transferred  directly  into  the  bank  account  of  the  consumers.  The subsidy  is  transferred  either  through  Aadhaar  Transfer  Compliant  (ATC)  or  Bank Transfer Compliant (BTC) mode. PAHAL has helped in identifying 'ghost' accounts, multiple  accounts  and  inactive  accounts.  This  has  helped  in  curbing  diversion  of subsidised LPG to commercial purposes. As on 02.07.2019, out of 26.49 crore LPG consumers, 24.86 crore consumers have joined the Scheme and are getting subsidy in their registered bank account.

(e)  &  (f)  Implementation  of  PAHAL  has  resulted  in  identification  of  4.49  crore ghost/fake/duplicate connections  as on 01.07.2019. These connections have been blocked by Oil Marketing Companies.

## Annexure

Annexure referred to part  (a) in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2419 for 08.07.2019 regarding "Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG" SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARSWATI and other

| State/UT             |         |
|----------------------|---------|
| CHANDIGARH           |    2.75 |
| DELHI                |   49.46 |
| HARYANA              |   66.43 |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH     |   17.31 |
| JAMMU & KASHMIR      |   30.02 |
| PUNJAB               |   83.2  |
| RAJASTHAN            |  154.47 |
| UTTAR PRADESH        |  376.14 |
| UTTRANCHAL           |   25.29 |
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR    |    0.97 |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH    |    2.5  |
| ASSAM                |   63.81 |
| BIHAR                |  164.45 |
| JHARKHAND            |   51.69 |
| MANIPUR              |    5.07 |
| MEGHALAYA            |    2.99 |
| MIZORAM              |    2.84 |
| NAGALAND             |    2.48 |
| ODISHA               |   79.89 |
| SIKKIM               |    1.38 |
| TRIPURA              |    6.97 |
| WEST BENGAL          |  209.58 |
| CHATTISGARH          |   48.01 |
| DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI |    0.88 |
| DAMAN & DIU          |    0.61 |
| GOA                  |    4.83 |
| GUJARAT              |  100.69 |
| MADHYA PRADESH       |  141.06 |
| MAHARASHTRA          |  269.93 |
| ANDHRA PRADESH       |  134.05 |
| KARNATAKA            |  154.29 |
| KERALA               |   86.34 |
| LAKSHADWEEP          |    0.08 |
| PUDUCHERRY           |    3.7  |
| TAMILNADU            |  207.22 |
| TELANGANA            |  105.57 |
| ALL INDIA            | 2656.9  |