HYDERABAD: Lakhs of eligible beneficiaries across Telangana are expressing frustration and anger over the prolonged delay in receiving gas subsidies promised under the Mahalakshmi scheme. Although the state government had assured a subsidy of ₹500 per LPG cylinder, the amount has not been credited to beneficiaries for the past eight months.
The government had announced that 4 million families holding white ration cards would receive this financial assistance to ease the burden on homemakers. However, a large number of these beneficiaries have yet to see any subsidy credited to their bank accounts, leading to growing public unrest.
Public unrest over gas subsidy
Residents of a town in Gadwal district reported that local gas agencies, citing non-receipt of the subsidy, advised them to approach Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. People said that while the government made promises, the lack of follow-through has eroded their trust.
The state had requested the Centre to allow oil companies to offer an upfront subsidy discount at the time of purchase. However, due to technical constraints, this mechanism could not be implemented. As a result, consumers are required to pay the full price for cylinders, with the subsidy amount being reimbursed later through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)—a process that has seen considerable delays.
The government has assured that the pending subsidy amounts will be transferred soon and that efforts are ongoing to rectify errors in beneficiary details. Nevertheless, the public continues to demand immediate and transparent implementation of the scheme so that financially vulnerable families can receive the promised relief.
Beneficiaries are urging the government to release the outstanding subsidy payments without further delay and to ensure the effective execution of the scheme to restore public confidence.
