Parliament Question: PAHAL (DBTL) Scheme

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 704 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04th December, 2025 PAHAL (DBTL) Scheme 704. Shri P P Chaudhary: Shri Balwant Baswant Wankhade: Shri Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathva: Shri Vijay Baghel: Shri Radheshyam Rathiya: Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap: Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara: Shri Ravindra Shukla Alias Ravi Kishan: पे(cid:282)ो(cid:871)लयम एवं (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस मं(cid:287)ी Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state: (a) the steps taken by the Government to enhance transparency and efficiency in subsidy transfers and LPG distribution through the PAHAL Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL) mechanism; (b) whether any initiative has been undertaken to improve identification of beneficiaries and reduce instances of duplicate or ineligible connections, if so, the details thereof; (c) the number of LPG connections that have been blocked, suspended or deactivated under the PAHAL (DBTL) scheme to prevent misuse of subsidy along with the criteria and the process adopted for such identification particularly in the Pali Lok Sabha Constituency; (d) the outcomes of recent audits or third-party evaluations of the PAHAL (DBTL) scheme particularly in relation to consumer satisfaction and grievance redressal in the Pali Lok Sabha constituency; and (e) the details of the subsidy transfers and LPG distribution through the PAHAL Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG mechanism in Palghar District in Maharashtra? ANSWER पे(cid:282)ो(cid:871)लयम एवं (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस मं(cid:287)ालय म(cid:581) रा(cid:207)यमं(cid:287)ी ((cid:302)ी सुरेश गोपी) MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI) (a) to (c): Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL)-PAHAL Scheme has been implemented since January 2015 for transparent and effective disbursal of subsidy across the country. UnderPAHAL Scheme, all domestic LPG cylinders are sold at a uniform Retail Selling Price (RSP) and applicable subsidy to LPG consumers is transferred directly into their bank accounts. PAHAL has played a crucial role in identification and blocking of ‘ghost’ accounts, multiple accounts, and inactive LPG connections, thereby helping curb the diversion of subsidised LPG for commercial use. As of 01.11.2025, a total of 4.19 crore duplicate, non-existent, multiple, and inactive LPG connections are blocked, suspended or de-activated including 1.39 lakhs in PaliLok Sabha Constituency (covering Jodhpur, Pali and Bewar district). Government has taken numerous steps to remove ineligible consumers and improve subsidy transfer process, which include the following: De-duplication through CLDP- Government has also brought a Common LPG Database Platform (CLDP) through which duplicate connections are being identified and removed from the LPG database. Deduplication amongst LPG consumer database is done using Aadhaar Number, Bank Account Details, Abridged Household List (AHL) Temporary Identification Number (TIN), Ration Card Details, Name and Address as the key parameters. Biometric Aadhaar Authentication Drive- Aadhaar-based authentication for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes enables accurate, real- time, and cost-effective identification, authentication, and de-duplication of beneficiaries, ensuring targeted delivery of benefits to the intended recipients. To strengthen consumer authentication, the Government had directed the public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to undertake and complete biometric Aadhaar authentication of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and PAHAL beneficiaries. As of 30.11.2025, Biometric Aadhaar authentication has been completed for 71% of the existing PMUY beneficiaries. Further, all new PMUY consumers undergo Biometric Authentication before release of connections. Weeding out of Ineligible Consumers- PAHAL has enabled the disbursement of the Targeted subsidy benefit to eligible PMUY consumers. Multiple steps have been taken to ensure that these benefits reach the eligible and targeted beneficiaries in an efficient and timely manner. Since its inception, as a result of comprehensive deduplication exercises undertaken, a total of 8.63 lakh PMUY connections have been terminated. Further, in January 2025, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was issued for the removal of PMUY consumers who had not taken any further refills after the installation of their connection and till 01.11.2025, around 20,000 inactive PMUY connections have already been terminated following the SOP. (d): A comprehensive third-party evaluation was conducted by Research and Development Initiative (RDI). The study found that more than 90% of the respondents were satisfied with subsidy reimbursement mechanism. The report recommends strengthening the subsidy payment infrastructure and grievance redressal systems, along with improving targeting by limiting subsidies to economically weaker sections. It also highlights the need for sustained safety awareness and expanded outreach through local language and mass media campaigns to ensurebetter adoption and safe usage of LPG. Based on these findings, steps have been taken to further improve the efficiency, transparency, and outreach of the PAHAL scheme. The grievance redressal system for all LPG consumers including in Pali Lok Sabha Constituency has also been gradually strengthened and improved over time to enhance consumer experience and service quality. Now LPG consumers can lodge their grievances/complaints using any of the following methods- 1. Toll free helpline- A dedicated toll-free helpline (1800 2333 555) is available for consumers to lodge their queries, including subsidy-related issues. 2. OMCs' official websites and Mobile Applications 3. Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) 4. Chatbots, WhatsApp, Social media handles (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) including MoPNGeSEVA 5. 1906: Dedicated helpline for LPG accidents/leakages 6. Lodging Complaints directly at the distributor office In case of online complaints consumers have an option to provide their feedback on complaint resolution. If a consumer is not satisfied with the resolution provided, they have the option to reopen the query for further review. (e): No State/UT/District-wise allocation of funds is done under DBTL. Details of DBTL subsidy since 2021-22 are given below: (Rs. in Crore) Year 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Amount 177.06 180 1460 375.26 During the period 2020-21 to 2022-23, Saudi CP (international benchmark for LPG pricing) went up from $415 per MT to $712 per MT. However, the increase in international prices was not fully passed on retail prices, due to which the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) suffered significant losses. To compensate the OMCs for these losses, Government paid a one-time compensation of Rs. 22,000 crore to OMCs in FY 2022-23. The international prices of LPG again went up during 2024-25 and continue to remain high. However, to insulate consumers from fluctuations in international LPG prices, the increase in cost was not passed on to consumers of domestic LPG which led to significant losses for the three OMCs. Despite these losses, the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies have ensured continuous supplies of domestic LPG in the country at affordable prices. To compensate the OMCs for these losses, Government has recently approved a compensation of Rs. 30,000 crore to the OMCs. ******