New Delhi: The government has made Aadhaar mandatory for availing cooking gas (LPG) subsidies but has given two months grace period for citizens to get the unique identification number.

Government currently gives 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each at subsidised rates per household in a year. The subsidy on every cylinder is transfered in advance directly into bank accounts of individuals, who then buy the cooking fuel at market rates.

As LPG subsidy is an expenditure incurred from Consolidated Fund of India, the Oil Ministry said it is notifying use of Aadhaar as mandatory requirement for availing of the benefit.

Individual desirous of availing LPG subsidies are hereby required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar or undergo Aadhaar authentication, an Oil Ministry order said. For those not yet having Aadhaar, it gave time till November 30, 2016 to make application for enrolment for the unique identification number. Oil marketing companies have been asked to faciliate enrolments.

Till the time Aadhaar is assigned, LPG subsidy would be transfered based on bank photo passbook and Aadhaar enrolment ID slip or his voter ID card or ration card or kisan photo passbook or passport of driver license along with copy of request for Aadhaar enrolment.

The oil Ministry said use of Aadhaar as identifier for delivery of benefits/subsidies simplifies the Government delivery processes, bring in transparency and efficiency.

Also, an undertaking in a set format has to be given that the individual is not availing LPG subsidy under some other consumer number of an oil marketing company, the order said. This notification shall take effect immediately in all states except Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu & Kashmir, the order said.

The Ministry said use of Aadhaar as identifier for delivery of benefits/subsidies simplifies the Government delivery processes, bring in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly to them. Aadhaar obviates the need for producing multiple documents to prove one's identity, it said, adding the provisions of the Aadhaar Act and Regulations under the Act came into effect from September 14, 2016.

PTI