The oil companies have reiterated that the lPG subscribers, who fail to get their bank accounts linked with their subscription, will have to get lPG cylinders on the non-subsidised rates. They, however, asserted that over 78 per cent of the target for seeding lPG consumers has been achieved in Jharkhand.
“As of now, out of 12.5lakh lPG consumers with Indian Oil Corporation limited (IOCl), 76 per cent of linking has already been done by the company, while the rest of the consumers will have to get their cylinders on non-subsidized rates after March 31” said Chief Area Manager of IOCl in Jharkhand Uday Kumar.
According to Kumar, there are 10, 54,000 active subscribers with the company in Jharkhand, as many as 80, 7000 of them have been seeded till Tuesday, added Kumar. The figures had not crossed 50 per cent mark till December 15 last year.
When asked about chances of giving some more time to the consumers for those who could not linked their lPG connections with their bank accounts, Kumar reiterated that there were no chances of backing out as they already have been given a grace period of 3.5 months. He however, asserted that they cannot force anybody for the same.
“This date is really enthusiastic as we are quite close to the national figure of lPG seeding of 82 per cent, which is likely to be achieved in the next 3-4 days,” Kumar said.
“It is now their responsibility to get their lPG connection connected with AADHAAR numbers or bank accounts before March 31 or consumers themselves will be the sufferers,” Kumar asserted.
Under the scheme, a consumer has to buy cylinders at market price throughout the year. However, for the first 12 bookings, the government subsidy, depending upon the market price of a cylinder on the booking date, will be transferred to the consumer's bank account when an order is placed for a refill. When the cylinder is delivered at his home, he has to pay the market rate of the cylinder.
Under the ambitious Direct Benefits Transfer of lPG (DBTl) scheme, the oil marketing companies (OMCs) will not be selling cylinders at the subsidised rate from April 1 next year. All lPG customers will have to buy the cylinders at the market rate from an OMC and the cash subsidy will be directly credited to one’s bank account.
Though the initial deadline for enrolling under ‘Pahal’ was December 31 last year, the government has given a grace period till March 31, during which consumers who have not linked their bank and gas accounts will continue to get the cylinder at subsidised rate at the time of delivery. According to the recent directive of the Central Government, all consumers, irrespective of whether or not the consumers have enrolled under DBTl, would be charged at market price for buying cylinders after March this year.
The scheme was re-launched in the 54 districts of 11 states on November 15 in the first phase and the government at the centre has decided to launch it for the rest of the country from January 1.