Mangaluru : As per the direction of the Central government, consumers have three months time to link their LPG numbers with Aadhaar card or bank accounts, said Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim.

Speaking at the LPG consumers grievances meeting here on Monday, he said that Only 22 per cent of the LPG consumers have got their Aadhaar-based bank account linked to their LPG consumer numbers in Dakshina Kannada district, the subsidy component towards LPG refill will be credited directly to the consumers’ bank accounts from January. There are 3.50 lakh LPG consumers in the district, of which, only 1,06,134 consumers have linked their LPG numbers with Aadhaar. Dakshina Kannada district is in the 24th position in the process of linking.

Without waiting for the last minute, the consumers can link their LPG numners by furnishing a copy of the first page of bank pass book and copy of the LPG book to the gas agency, said officials of Bharath Petroleum Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Indian Oil Corporation.

They said “bank pass books should have IFSC code of the bank. If the pass book does not have the IFSC code, then it should be collected from the bank and furnish the same to the gas agency,” the officials clarified.

BPCL Regional Manager Dinakar Thonse said that those who have linked the Aadhaar with LPG numbers, will have to pay Rs 742 for LPG cylinder. The subsidy amount will be credited to the bank account within two to three days of the delivery of the cylinder from January.

The price of the LPG cylinders varies every month in the international market. The consumers will get a computerised receipt during the delivery of the LPG cylinder. The receipt will have the amount to be paid. If the price of LPG is Rs 742 in January, then Rs 322 will be credited to the bank account of the consumer.

“The gas agencies can not demand additional charge from the consumers. The receipt should not be tampered by the gas agency. In case if the agency demands additional amount, then the consumers can file a complaint by dialing the toll free number of the oil firm supplying LPG. The oil firm will initiate action against the agencies. The oil companies have right to suspend the agency in case of illegalities as well,” he clarified.

Representatives from oil companies said that the LPG cylinders should be supplied to the consumers within 48 hours of the booking. In Dakshina Kannada district, it will be supplied within 10 days at the most.

The consumers complained that LPG cylinders are not supplied even after 15 to 25 days of booking at a few places. However, officials said that in most of the cases, the cylinders are supplied within three days, to which, the DC said that in case if the LPG agencies delay in supplying the gas to the consumers, then action will be initiated.

A consumer will get 12 subsidised LPG cylinders in a year. For additional cylinders, the consumers will have to pay extra.

As per the rules, the consumers should ensure that there was no leakage from the LPG cylinder after its delivery. As a precautionary measure, kerosene stove should not be kept near the gas stove. The consumer should verify the weight of the LPG cylinder suppied, said HPCL officer Sharavanan.

The BPCL official said that based on the complaints from consumers, action has been initiated against 16 gas agencies in the last one and half years.

A new LPG connection can be availed within three days of furnishing copies of RR number, residence address and details of consumer to the agency. The consumer will have to pay Rs 2,600 for new connection.

The gas agencies can not make the purchase of gas stove and other appliances mandatory along with the gas connection, the official clarified.