Telangana: Lakhs of families miss subsided LPG failing to give accurate information

Many of the applicants could not provide the required documents like copies of the Aadhar card and ration card, while submitting Praja Palana forms.

Hyderabad: Failure to furnish accurate and adequate information has turned out to be a barrier preventing many households from accessing to the benefit of LPG refill at a subsidised price of Rs 500 provided by the State, according to officials tasked with monitoring of the scheme implementation. The provision of LPG refills on subsidy under the Mahalaxhmi scheme, is one of the six guarantees of the Congress party and much importance has been attached to it.

The Civil Supplies Corporations has planned to reach out to some 65 lakh beneficiaries initially, as against 89 lakh white ration card holders expected to merit consideration for benefit. Many of the applicants could not provide the required documents like copies of the Aadhar card and ration card, while submitting Praja Palana forms. Adequate arrangements were made for receiving the forms from the applicants at the gram panchayts and in municipal wards before January 6, 2024.

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More lapses were observed even during the verification process. Many applicants missed the opportunity for failing to provide even their own phone numbers or mobile numbers besides important information while filling out the six sections of the Praja Palana forms. In some cases, the department could retrieve information pertaining to the applicants from alternate sources. But they proved helpless, in the case of those who gave eight digit mobile numbers.

Approvals were given promptly in the case of all the genuine applications upon successful verification of the application forms. In the case of those who failed to provide accurate information, the government is yet to take a decision. The government has to review such issues, as the initiative is aimed at making clean cooking gas more accessible and affordable for BPL families while empowering women.

Even though the government was keen on reviewing the Praja Palana exercise to give an opportunity to the families that did not figure in the final list , it did not happen as the code of conduct for the MLC polls came into force, they stressed.