PAHAL - Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh (Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG)

What is PAHAL (DBTL)?

Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh, better known as PAHAL and formally the Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL) scheme, is the mechanism through which the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas pays cooking-gas subsidy to domestic LPG consumers. It was rolled out in 54 districts in November 2014 and extended across the whole country from 1 January 2015, and it remains one of the largest direct-benefit-transfer programmes in the world by number of beneficiaries.

The core idea is simple. Before PAHAL, subsidised LPG cylinders were sold cheaply at the point of sale, which created a large gap with the market price and encouraged diversion of domestic cylinders to commercial use. Under PAHAL, the domestic consumer pays the full market price for the cylinder and the government transfers the subsidy amount directly into the consumer's bank account. Removing the price gap at the counter cut leakage and eliminated large numbers of duplicate and "ghost" connections.

According to the mylpg.in framework, subsidy is paid on up to 12 refills of the 14.2 kg domestic cylinder in a financial year. Cylinders bought beyond that cap are sold at market price without subsidy.

How do I get the subsidy - the two routes

PAHAL links a consumer's LPG connection to a bank account so the subsidy can flow. There are two ways to establish that link:

• Aadhaar route (Cash Transfer Compliant via Aadhaar, "ATC") - the consumer seeds their Aadhaar number with both the LPG consumer number (with the distributor) and the bank account (with the bank). Aadhaar acts as the bridge.
• Non-Aadhaar route (Cash Transfer Compliant, "CTC") - for consumers who do not want to use Aadhaar, the bank account is linked directly to the 17-digit LPG consumer number, either through the distributor or the bank.

Once the link is active, the subsidy for each eligible refill is credited automatically, and the consumer usually receives an SMS confirming the amount.

Who is eligible for the LPG subsidy?

You can receive the subsidy if:

• You are a domestic LPG consumer of Indane, Bharatgas or HP Gas.
• You have linked a valid bank account to your LPG consumer number (through the Aadhaar or non-Aadhaar route).
• Your household's annual taxable income is Rs 10 lakh or below.

You cannot receive the subsidy if:

• Your household's annual taxable income is above Rs 10 lakh - such consumers are required to declare this and forgo the subsidy, though they can still buy LPG at market price.
• You have voluntarily surrendered it under Give It Up.
• You have not linked a bank account, in which case the subsidy is held until the linkage is completed.

Note that PAHAL governs how the subsidy is paid, not whether a subsidy exists for a given month. When the government sets the subsidy for a category of users at nil, no cash is transferred even though the consumer remains enrolled.

What documents/details are required?

How to apply for / join PAHAL

1. Note down your 17-digit LPG consumer number from your connection booklet or a past delivery receipt.
2. Decide your route: the Aadhaar route, where you seed Aadhaar with the bank and the LPG connection, or the non-Aadhaar route, where the bank account is linked directly to the consumer number.
3. Submit the linking form - the Aadhaar-seeding form or the bank-account (Form 2/Annexure) form - to your LPG distributor and to your bank, or complete the linking online at mylpg.in by selecting your oil company and following the "Join PAHAL / Give Bank Account Details" flow.
4. Wait for confirmation that your connection is marked "Cash Transfer Compliant"; you can check the status on mylpg.in.
5. From then on, buy cylinders at market price and confirm that the subsidy is credited to your account after each eligible refill.

How to opt out (Give It Up) or rejoin

Households that do not need the subsidy can surrender it under Give It Up through their distributor or the "Give up LPG Subsidy" option on mylpg.in. The surrendered subsidy is redirected to poorer households, including new connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. Anyone who gave up the subsidy can rejoin later through the same portal if their circumstances change.

Help and grievance redressal

• Self-service portal: mylpg.in - check PAHAL status, subsidy transferred, and cash-transfer history
• LPG Emergency / Customer Care helpline: 1906
• Distributor and oil company (Indane / Bharatgas / HP Gas) customer care for connection-specific issues

There is no charge to join PAHAL or to link your bank account. If a subsidy credit is missed, check the "Subsidy transferred" and grievance sections on mylpg.in before contacting your distributor.