Over 3,500 deprived of LPG subsidy in district

Kothagudem:  As many as 3,500 consumers have been denied subsidy on the LPG cylinder for various reasons. The subsidy is not getting deposited in the bank account of some consumers because of technical reasons. In case of some others, despite being the poor, the subsidy is denied as they exercised the option of not availing the subsidy and unable to comprehend the message flashed on their mobile phone.  Therefore, even the poorest of the poor are getting certificates depriving them of the gas subsidy.

Many people are not aware of that the Center is paying subsidy to the bank accounts of poor. The amount will be credited direct into their bank accounts provided their Aadhaar card number with the bank account.  For the past two years, some of the people have been paying the full price of the LPG cylinder.

Under the Deepam scheme the previous regime supplied LPG cylinders to the poor.  The poor used to pay the difference amount after deducting the subsidy and obtaining the LPG cylinder from the supplier and using them. However, the Center issued orders to credit the subsidy into the bank accounts of the LPG consumers.

But the LPG supplier is supplying the LPG cylinder at full price, including the subsidy. People are buying the cylinder thinking that the cost of the LPG cylinder has gone up. Upon receiving certificates, bearing Narendra Modi’s signature, thanking them for giving up the subsidy, the poor find themselves shell-shocked.

Narendra Modi urged the consumers to give up their gas subsidy. It is astonishing to note that over 3,500 in the Agency district of Bhadradri-Kothagudem are not getting the subsidy at a time when industrialists, elected people’s representatives and bureaucrats are not willing to give up the subsidy. The number is likely to increase as several have not verified their bank accounts with regard to crediting of the subsidy.

According to a comprehensive survey, there are over 2,05,339 LPG connections in the district. The number of LPG connections issued under the Deepam scheme stands at 72,540. In case a bank account remained inoperative for many years, the subsidy will not get credited into it. Even after the consumer discovering the problem and complaining about it, the subsidy amount along with arrears is not getting credited back into the consumers’ bank account. The matter is under the purview of the National Payment Corporation of India. According to reliable sources, there are over 2,000 such cases in the district.

SK Salim who runs a hotel on a push-cart said that he received a certificate to the effect that he had relinquished the subsidy. He said that he was not aware of the reasons. He said that he had furnished his bank account number and Aadhaar card number to the LPG supplier. He said that he was not rich enough to forego the subsidy. 

He sought measures to restore the subsidy to him.  On the directions of the Center, consumers bank account numbers and Aadhaar card number have been taken. But there is delay in seeding the Aadhar card number with the bank account number. The LPG cylinders are denied to those who refused to furnish the details.  

Some consumers received a message on their cell phone whether they have agreed to forego the subsidy. The illiterate consumers, who did not know how to respond, might have exercised the option of relinquishing the subsidy rather unknowingly.  As the revenue personnel failed to sensitise the people, the poor are forced to pay the price.

The Bhadradri Gas Company dealer has clarified that if any consumer did not get the subsidy he can’t get it back upon lodging a complaint with the dealer.  If people are genuinely willing to give up the subsidy, the gas company is obtaining letters from them to that affect, he said adding that if consumers who did not give such letters but failed to receive the subsidy the company is striving to get the subsidy restored.