Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS): Almost Rs.2 billion has been disbursed to over 4.50 million gas consumers in 20 districts across India under the Aadhar-linked Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (cooking gas) Scheme, an official statement said Thursday.

The payments were made directly to the consumers' bank accounts.

The DBTL Scheme, described as a "resounding success" was launched June this year in 18 districts following by two more in July, with another 35 districts scheduled to be included in the initiative from Sep 1.

This will take the total number of cooking gas consumers covered in these 35 districts to 2.12 crore which will be entitled for receiving direct subsidies into their bank accounts.

The districts to be covered under DBTL are in Kerala (12), Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh (7 each), Punjab (5), Madhya Pradesh (2) and one each in Maharashtra and Goa.

The DBTL scheme was launched with the intention to curb leakages and prevent black-marketing and provide subsidy to consumers in their bank accounts linked with Aadhaar Card numbers.

All Aadhaar-linked domestic cooking gas consumers get an advance of Rs.435 into their account when they book the first subsidized cylinder before delivery.

When that is delivered, the next subsidy again gets credited in the bank account which can then be used to buy the subsequent cylinder at market rates.

All consumers who have not yet linked their Aadhaar Cards with their bank accounts and LPG accounts can do so till Aug 31 to continue availing the subsidies.

Only those consumers who fulfil the above criteria shall continue to get the DBTL scheme benefits, the others would have to buy the LPG cylinders at market rates, the statement said.