PAHAL Scheme Enters Into Guinness Book of World Records

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New Delhi (ABC Live): Petroleum Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan presented the certificate received from Guinness Book of World Records to the  Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today in New Delhi. The certificate is in recognition of PAHAL as the largest cash transfer programme in the world.

Government of India launched the `PAHAL’ Scheme in 54 districts of the country on 15.11.2014 and in remaining districts of the country on 1st January, 2015. LPG consumers who join the PAHAL scheme will get the LPG cylinders at market price and receive LPG subsidy (as per their entitlement) directly into their bank accounts.

The “Pahal” scheme has been acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest cash transfer program (households) with 12.57 crore households receiving cash transfer as of 30thJune, 2015. As on 03rd Dec, 2015, 14.62 crore LPG consumers have joined the PAHAL scheme and are receiving the subsidy directly into their Bank Accounts.

This scheme has enabled substantive savings in subsidy on supply of LPG consumers to the households. As on 1st April, 2015, there were 18.19 crore registered LPG Consumers and 14.85 crore active consumers implying a gap of 3.34 crore consumers which are duplicate / fake / inactive accounts blocked under PAHAL Scheme and related initiatives.  If we take into account the quota of 12 cylinders per consumer and the average LPG subsidy of Rs.366 per cylinder for the year 2014-15, estimated savings in LPG subsidy due to the blocking of 3.34 crore accounts work out to Rs.14,672 crore, during that year.    Further, as of today, out of a total of 16.27 crore active consumers, 14.62 crore consumers are availaing subsidy – resulting in further subsidy saving for 1.65 crore consumers.