PAHAL SCHEME MAKES ENTRY INTO GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS

Union Government’s Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh (PAHAL) scheme under the aegis of Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been acknowledged as the world’s largest cash transfer program (households) by the Guinness Book of World Records.

ABOUT PRATYAKSHA HASTAANTARIT LAABH (PAHAL) SCHEME

1) The PAHAL (DBTL) scheme was earlier launched on 1st June 2013 and finally covered 291 districts.

2) Due to some early hurdles the modified scheme had been re-launched in 54 districts on 15.11.2014 in the 1st Phase and was launched in rest of the country on 1.1.2015.

3) Under the modified scheme, the LPG consumer can now receive subsidy in his bank account by two methods. Such a consumer will be called CTC (Cash Transfer Compliant) once he joins the scheme and is ready to receive subsidy in the bank account. The two options are:

a. Option I (Primary): Wherever Aadhaar number is available it will remain the medium of cash transfer. Thus, an LPG consumer who has an Aadhaar Number has to link it to the bank account number and to the LPG consumer        number.      

b. Option II (Secondary): If LPG consumer does not have an Aadhaar number, then he can directly receive subsidy in his bank account without the use of Aadhaar number. This option which has now been introduced in the modified scheme ensures that LPG subsidy is not denied to an LPG consumer on account of lack of Aadhaar number and is more relevant when the apex court has denied the essentiality of having Aadhar card .For this consumer should register his present bank account information (bank account holder name /account number /IFSC code) to the LPG distributor for capture in LPG database OR present LPG consumer information (17 digit LPG consumer ID) to his bank.

4) Currently it covers more than 9.75 crore LPG consumers across the country.

5) Scheme aims at eliminating duplication or bogus LPG connections and its diversion and to meet substantive savings in LPG subsidy.

6) Success of the scheme is attributed to the intensive Information and Education Campaign of Petroleum ministry which comprised of intensive advertising ,dealer level campaigns and direct reaching out to consumers.