Aadhaar numbers linked with gas agencies, banks low in C'garh

Chandigarh Administration today said linking of Aadhaar numbers with gas agencies and banks were quite low in the union territory and stood at 37 per cent and nine per cent respectively.
Officials of Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department said, though the rate of linking was low, more than 80 per cent of LPG consumers in Chandigarh have Aadhaar numbers.
There was an immediate need for launching an aggressive public awareness programme with regard to direct benefit transfer (DBT), they said.
"Apart from advertisement in newspapers, oil companies should go a big way in creating awareness among public," they said in a release adding, "A review meeting to assess the progress of implementation will be held before the end of this month."

"Our aim is to bring all customers under the scheme so that they get advanced subsidies in their bank accounts," the release said.
From October 1, subsidy on LPG cylinders would be transferred through DBT to consumers' bank accounts in Chandigarh and to avail it, beneficiaries need to give copies of their Aadhaar cards to LPG distributors and banks.

All LPG consumers who have not linked their Aadhaar numbers with LPG consumer numbers and bank accounts, will have a three-month grace period, the release said.
During this period, consumers will continue to get LPG cylinders at subsidised rates up to a cap of nine cylinders, officials said.

However, subsidy will be transferred to only those who have linked Aadhaar numbers to LPG consumer numbers and bank accounts, officials added.