A modified Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL) will be launched for 54 districts from November 15 and the rest of the country by January 1, 2015.

As part of the changes, consumers are not mandatorily required to have an Aadhaar number but having a bank account is a requirement. After November 15, consumers of 54 districts will be given a three month grace period where they will continue to receive the cylinders at a market rate, but after the end of the three months they will have to get a bank account and join the scheme within three months or the ‘Parking Period’.

“During the ‘Parking Period’ they will have to buy cylinders at market rate. If the consumer joins the scheme within the ‘Parking Period’ the subsidy as per entitlement and consumption during the ‘Parking Period’ will be transferred to his/her bank account,” an official statement said.

People who join the scheme will also be given a ‘permanent advance’ where in they will get an advance subsidy as soon as they make the first booking of the cylinder. The advance will be given directly in the bank account and will be given prior to the delivery.

“This advance ensures that LPG customers have extra cash to pay for their first LPG cylinder at a market price. The permanent advance shall be notified for the consumers now joining the scheme separately,” an official statement said.

In the first phase, the scheme will cover 54 districts in 11 states with 2.33 crore households.

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