The government willl launch Direct Benefit Transfer scheme, DBT, for LPG in 20 identified districts of eight States and two Union Territories from the 1st of next month. Announcing this in New Delhi this evening, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, M Veerappa Moily said, these districts have 89 per cent Aadhaar penetration with 52 per cent seeded with LPG customer database. He said, all Aadhaar-linked domestic LPG users will get the subsidy in advance in their bank accounts at the time of booking itself. He asked LPG consumers to immediately get Aadhaar number and link LPG consumer number and bank account with the Aadhaar number. The DBT scheme aims to curb leakages, prevent black-marketing and provide subsidy directly to consumers in their bank accounts. It will benefit about 76 lakh LPG consumers in the identified districts.

Mr Moily said, a roadmap to extend the scheme is being worked out and within a couple of months, the entire country will be covered. The Minister added that customers will get three months to complete the formalities for getting the benefit. The subsidy will be admissible only upto nine cylinders per year.