Online payment for LPG cylinders would be in place this year, Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Petroleum and Natural Gas, said on Friday.

“We will have to do more for the existing LPG consumers. Last year, we started Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG, online new connection booking, document verification and doorstep delivery. We have started a pilot process of online payment and it will be launched very soon,” he said.

There are 16.50 crore active LPG consumers in the country. However, this number includes some amount of duplication, said Pradhan.

“We will focus on cutting down on duplication in LPG connections in the current year,” he added.

While launching a nationwide emergency number for reporting LPG gas leakages, the Minister said that 2016 will be the year for LPG consumers and several initiatives will be launched for existing consumers.

Consumers can now dial ‘1906’ for reporting leakages from their LPG cylinders. While standard call rates will be applicable initially, the Minister urged officials to soon make it toll-free.

The Minister also said that over the next three years, the aim will be to increase the percentage of households using LPG to 70 per cent from 55 per cent.

As part of the ‘GiveItUp’ campaign 57.5 lakh people have foregone LPG subsidy. Simultaneously, under the ‘GiveBack’ campaign, the Centre uses the savings to provide LPG connections to below poverty line (BPL) families. As part of ‘GiveBack’ campaign, 50 lakh BPL families have been provided an LPG connection.

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