Fact Check: Viral message urging registration to avail LPG cylinder at Rs 500 in Telangana is fake

The message being shared, especially on WhatsApp, claims that one can get an LPG gas cylinder for Rs 500 by registering for the subsidy scheme at their gas agency. The message says that those left unregistered will pay the unsubsidised amount of Rs 1200. It also asks people to get ‘LPG gas eKYC’ done before December 31, 2023.

The claim comes in the backdrop of Congress promising the implementation of the Mahalakshmi scheme after they come to power, which guarantees Rs 2,500 per month for women, LPG cylinders at Rs 500 and free bus travel for women in the TSRTC. The Telangana Congress government has already made bus travel free for women.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the newly formed Telangana Congress government has not announced any registration to avail of LPG cylinders at Rs 500.

We ran a relevant keyword search and came across a report in The Siasat Daily from December 10, 2023, titled ‘Hyderabad: Women flock to LPG centres amid rumours of cylinders at Rs 500.’

The report said the pre-election promise of the Congress has led to a high number of women visiting different LPG distribution centres in Hyderabad to get registered for the Maha Lakshmi scheme. The rumours regarding the registration prompted women to stand in lines at LPG distribution points across the city, it said.

It also mentioned that the Union Ministry of Oil and Natural Gas had made it mandatory for everyone to update their e-KYC details to receive subsidised LPG cylinders, with a deadline of December 31. Despite clarifications from LPG agencies that this process was unrelated to the Maha Lakshmi scheme, persistent rumours led to continued long queues.

Next, we looked for Congress announcements after the government's formation and came across a report by the Deccan Herald.

As per the report, Revanth Reddy has said that from December 9, the Congress government will implement two poll guarantees: free travel in state-run RTC buses for women and an increase in the insurance amount to Rs 10 lakh under the Rajiv Arogyasri health scheme.

Sama Ram Mohan Reddy, Congress spokesperson speaking to NewsMeter, confirmed that the implementation of only two poll guarantees has been announced.

He said, “The implementation of the poll promise of supplying gas cylinders at Rs 500 per unit or registration for the scheme has not been announced. The announcement for its implementation will be done by the top leaders of the Congress party.”

A top official of the Indian Oil of Hyderabad region, who did not want to be named, said, “We have not received any instruction from the State government for the registration to provide LPG at Rs 500 to consumers.” However, the official did confirm that they have been doing e-KYC after the Central government made it mandatory for everyone to update their e-KYC details to receive subsidised LPG cylinders. The deadline for the updation of e-KYC is December 31 under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) aims to make clean cooking fuel, such as LPG, available to rural and deprived households. In October this year, the subsidy amount for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries was increased from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per LPG cylinder.

Hence, we conclude that the Telangana state government has not announced registration or e-KYC to avail LPG cylinders at Rs 500. The claim is false.