The lukewarm response to the Aadhaar based direct transfer of lPG subsidy points to the probability that the State is all set to miss the deadline, December 31, for completing the seeding of accounts of lPG consumers. Notably, the Central Government has envisaged transferring subsidy directly to a beneficiary’s account from January 1 and stopping supply of lPG cylinders at subsidised rate.
Thanks to an indifferent consumer, seeding of accounts of lPG consumers has not even reached half of the total consumer base in the State. Unlike other Government schemes where the authorities provide list of beneficiaries, seeding of accounts of an lPG consumer can happen only when a consumer submits his Aadhaar details to the concerned distributor thus making the entire process dependent on the consumer.
“We have roughly crossed 22 per cent of the total base in Jharkhand. The slow pace of seeding is due to lackadaisical attitude of a consumer and the marketing companies. Neither a consumer is forced to
follow a deadline nor a consumer has shown interest in getting his account seeded,” said NK Singh, a Bank of India official.
While the officials pass the buck on a marketing company the distributors of marketing companies rue an uncooperative customer for the delay in the seeding process. “Since the Supreme Court observation on Aadhar based social sector schemes, consumers often enter into argument on submitting Aadhar details and threaten to go to court if forced for furnishing details,” said Rajesh Kumar of RK Gas agency.
Interestingly, multiple gas connections availed by a consumer is also pegged as the reason for less compliance with the directive of the central government. “Aadhaar will expose those who enjoy the benefit of multiple connections hence people prefer not to disclose their Aadhaar number,” added Kumar.
The seeding of Aadhar for lPG consumers is two stage process thus making completing seeding an unachievable task before January 1. While in the first stage a consumer’s Aadhar number is seeded with his lPG connection number in the second stage bank account of the consumer is seeded with the Aadhar number.