In a recent development, the Rajasthan government has extended its subsidized gas cylinder scheme to include beneficiaries of the Khadya Suraksha Yojana. This scheme, which was relaunched in September, aims to provide cylinders at a reduced rate of Rs 450/-. However, due to data issues, around 4,200 Khadya Suraksha beneficiaries in Udaipur district currently face challenges in accessing the subsidy.

Data Collection Issues for New Beneficiaries

Gas agencies lack the data required for the newly added beneficiaries under the scheme, making it difficult for them to provide subsidized cylinders. To resolve this, the state government has tasked ration dealers with gathering and linking the data of eligible consumers. This data collection process will begin on today and is expected to continue until the end of November.

Aadhaar and Gas Connection Details Required

To avail of the subsidy, beneficiaries must visit their designated ration dealer. At the dealer's location, they will need to provide their Aadhaar number and gas connection details, which will be updated in a POS machine. This step is essential to ensure they receive the subsidized cylinder; without it, they will miss out on the benefit.

Oil Companies Refuse to Share Data

The state government had requested gas companies including IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL  to share connection numbers and Aadhaar details of all beneficiaries. However, these companies refused to provide this information, citing privacy and operational concerns. Due to this refusal, eligible families have been unable to receive the subsidy as intended.

Financial Impact and Central Government Subsidy

If all 60 lakh eligible families in the state take subsidized cylinders, the government will incur an estimated cost of around Rs 200 crore. Currently, a 14.5 kg domestic LPG cylinder is priced at Rs 806.50 for regular households. Additionally, the central government provides a subsidy of Rs 200 for Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries, which will also apply to new beneficiaries, who will receive this subsidy directly in their bank accounts.

Linking Gas Connections and Bank Accounts

Upon the scheme’s launch in September, the government issued guidelines instructing beneficiaries to link their gas connections and bank accounts with Aadhaar. However, the guidelines did not clarify the process for completing this linkage, leading to confusion among beneficiaries.

“Under the Khadya Suraksha scheme, a seeding process is being conducted and will continue through November. Currently, e-KYC is underway. The scheme's scope has been expanded to include beneficiaries of both the Ujjwala Yojana and the Khadya Suraksha. Importantly, Ujjwala beneficiaries do not need to be enrolled in Khadya Suraksha; both schemes can be processed simultaneously.”- Manish Bhatnagar, DSO,Udaipur

Source: Media Reports