Implementation of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for lPG consumers in Odisha would begin from April next year.
However, instead of the earlier provision of Aadhaar card registration, the consumers, as per the revised decision of the Centre, will now have to register their bank account numbers with the concerned lPG distributors. The first high-level meeting to this effect would be held here on November 24, sources said.
The meeting, to be presided over by the Secretary, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, would be attended by senior State Government and UCO Bank officials and officials of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation ltd (HPCl), Indian Oil Corporation ltd (IOCl) and Bharat Gas.
The meeting would discuss development of a software for registration of bank account details to facilitate subsidy to the consumers.
Official sources said there are a total of 23,87,592 lPG consumers in the State of which the HPCl has 9,96,223 consumers. The IOCl and the Bharat Gas have 8,18,663 and 5,72,706 consumers, respectively.
As per the decision taken by the State Government, consumers will have to register their bank account numbers with the concerned lPG dealers. At the time of procuring the gas cylinders, the consumers will have to pay market price of the gas to the dealers who will deposit the subsidy amounts in the bank accounts of the consumers within seven days.
Steps would be taken to deposit the subsidy amount in the bank account within 24 hours of the delivery of gas cylinder, a senior official said. While Khordha district has the highest number lPG consumers with 3,68,445, Brahampur has 2,91,543 and Cuttack 2,57,825 consumers, respectively. Boudh district has the lowest number of lPG consumers with only 6,819, sources in the department said.