Five months on, some LPG consumers yet to get subsidy
An officer from a state-owned oil firm said the issue should be raised at central government level
By : shrinivasa m.
Update: 2015-06-15 06:43 GMT
Bengaluru: Remember the trouble created by LPG distributors and state-owned oil firms in January this year, in the name of Pahal – Direct Benefits Transfer for LPG (DBTL)? City residents were forced to wait in long queues in front of LPG distributors and banks in which they have savings account to get the DBTL benefit. But five months later, in many cases, the central government is yet to start transferring the subsidy amount to the bank accounts of customers, while the LPG distributors collect the full amount from consumers.
A Bharat Gas consumer, whose name is withheld on request, said that his LPG distributor on Saturday delivered a cylinder of 14.2 kg after booking online. An automatic message to his mobile phone stated that he would be delivered the cylinder with the subsidised amount, but to his shock, the distributor demanded the full amount of '632, saying that the consumer would get the subsidy amount credited to his bank account. After a verbal duel, the consumer called the helpline, but there was no response.
Several other customers also told Deccan Chronicle that they faced a similar problem. Mr Girish Shetty, another consumer, said, “In January, oil firm officials and LPG distributors threatened us saying that if did not submit our Aadhaar card and bank details, our LPG cylinder supply would be cancelled. But after so many months, the subsidy amount is still not being credited into my account. At least they should supply LPG cylinders with till they start transferring the amount.”
An officer from a state-owned oil firm said the issue should be raised at central government level. “DBTL scheme is launched by the union petroleum ministry. We are receiving several complaints. Except requesting the customers to wait for a few more days, we also don’t have any confirmation on the deadline,” he said.