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The Direct Benefit transfer of LPG (DBTL) scheme Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh (PaHaL) has now seen penetration among 80 per cent of the total active LPG consumers in Gujarat.
As on March 2, 2015, about 79.7 per cent or 4.8 million active LPG consumers have joined the PaHaL scheme in Gujarat which was introduced in 54 districts of the country on November 15, 2014. The scheme was launched in rest of the country on January 1, 2015. According to public sector undertakings (PSUs), in a short period the enrollment has achieved a satisfactory level of penetration of near 80 per cent.
What's more, an amount of Rs 302.04 crore has been transferred since November 15, 2014 through 880 million transactions. Currently, a fixed permanent advance of Rs 568 is also given to every consumer. This has been revised to become variable every month, equal to the actual subsidy due at the time of booking w.e.f. 1.4.2015 and subject to a maximum of Rs 568. "The success of the scheme is a result of an intensive information education campaign comprising of advertising through various means and directly reaching out to consumers, several innovative measures such as guardian officers for each district, deployment of technology by use of SMS, and a single window portal www.mylpg.in to enable consumers to join the scheme. The progress of the scheme implementation is being directly monitored at the level of Minister of State (Independent Charge) Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, the official communique stated.
PaHaL will save subsidy by reducing the incentive to divert subsidized cylinders and also provides an easy exit route for those who do not want to avail subsidy on domestic gas cylinders. The enrollment are continuing and it is expected that full benefits will start accruing with market pricing of domestic LPG cylinders cover the entire country w.e.f 1.4.2015.
