10 crore LPG consumers join world's largest DBT scheme;

Direct Transfer Scheme: PahalWith 10 crore LPG consumers joining the ambitious scheme of getting cash subsidy in bank accounts to buy market priced cooking fuel in just two months, it has become the world's largest direct benefit transfer and would help end black marketing."The scheme will bring an end to black-marketeering and subsidy will reach people more effectively. Its role in nation-building is important," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
"(It) gives me great joy to know that over 10 crore citizens have been registered as a part of the PAHAL Yojana. A momentous accomplishment," he tweeted.

 

 

The Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for LPG subsidy, now renamed Pahal or Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh, covers more than 65 per cent of 15.3 crore LPG consumers in the country.

Under the scheme, LPG cylinders are sold at one price i.e. the market rate. Consumers get Rs.558 in their bank accounts so they can buy LPG at market rate of Rs.605 per 14.2-kg cylinder. Subsidised LPG is currently available at Rs.417.
Pahal has outpaced similar programmes in other countries such as China, Mexico and Brazil where the maximum beneficiaries touched was no more than 2.2 crore.
The scheme was launched on November 15, 2014 in 54 districts and in the rest of the country on January 1, 2015 is aimed at helping prevent diversions and blackmarketing of the subsidised cooking gas.
"It will help the government save 10-15 per cent of the Rs.40,000 crore LPG subsidy," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
"The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, which has provided bank accounts to almost all Indians, was process and PAHAL is a product (of that)," he added.
The bank accounts opened under the scheme are used to transfer the LPG subsidy.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/10-crore-lpg-consumers-largest-dbt-pahal/1/417237.html