Telangana seeks Centre's nod for paying gas subsidy to OMCs

Hyderabad, July 22 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday requested the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri to allow the state government to pay in advance subsidy amount to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) towards the subsidised cooking gas scheme being implemented in the state.

The Chief Minister along with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikaramarka and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy met Hardeep Singh Puri in New Delhi.

The Chief Minister explained to the Union Minister the state government’s scheme under which a gas cylinder is being provided to beneficiaries in the state for Rs 500.

The state government had launched the scheme in February.

At the time of the launch, the state government had said that it would transfer the required amount, in advance, to OMCs, on a monthly basis. OMCs will transfer the subsidy amount by Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) to the beneficiaries.

White ration card (food security card) holders are getting cooking gas cylinders for Rs 500. A total of 40 lakh families are being benefited from this scheme.

A gas cylinder for Rs 500 was one of the six guarantees given by Congress in the Assembly elections held in November 2023.