DBTL Googly for Piped Gas Users

CHENNAI: Residents of numerous gated communities in Tamil Nadu who have been enjoying piped gas supply are in a quandary on availing of the domestic gas subsidy under the proposed Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL) scheme that would take effect from January 1, 2015. Since the piped gas connection is not in the name of individual residents of gated communities many gas agencies are clueless on how to include them in the DBTL regime.

N Mohanraj, who lives in Agrini Apartments a large gated community in Andalpuram in Madurai where Bharatgas supplies piped gas to each household, said the gas agency refused to receive applications for registration under the DBTL scheme.

“The staff said we do not have an individual gas consumer number and so he would not be able to process the DBTL forms,” he rued. The Agrini Apartments has 620 residents, most of whom had surrendered their individual LPG connections while moving into their flats.

In gated communities, which have provision for piped gas supply, each household is charged as per consumption recorded in individual meters. The gas is supplied via pipes connected to LPG cylinders. The gas agency considers the entire premises as one unit.

“We consume around 4 to 5 kg of gas every month and pay `29 per kg at the end of the month. Once the DBTL is rolled out, the price per kg of LPG would be around `67 as per prevailing market rate,” added Mohanraj. More: P4

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