Ranchi, Sept. 30: The state government has decided to transfer kerosene subsidy directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts from tomorrow.

"Jharkhand will be the first state to implement the direct benefit transfer scheme for kerosene oil subsidy. To start with, the scheme will be implemented in four districts, namely Chatra, Khunti, Hazaribagh and Jamtara, in the first phase. In near future, it will be rolled out in all the 24 districts," food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Saryu Roy said at a news meet at Project Building today.

The oil will be available at the rate of Rs 25-26 per litre at PDS shops across the state. And under the scheme, a subsidy amount of around Rs 10 per litre will be transferred to beneficiaries' accounts.

"Beneficiaries will have to pay the entire amount at the time of purchase. The subsidy amount would be credited to their accounts once we receive the amount from petroleum companies," explained departmental secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey.

In rural areas, each BPL family will get three litre kerosene oil every month while their urban counterpart will receive two litre a month.

The department is going to launch the Ujjawala scheme between October 15 and 20, for which Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan will be invited. Under the scheme, BPL families will be provided LPG connections, along with stoves and other appliances, free of cost.

Roy said that the department aimed to cover total 6.5 lakh BPL families under the scheme in the 2016-17 financial year. Already, 2.5 lakh beneficiaries to be covered in the first phase have been identified.

In another move, the department has decided to register Jharkhand's farmers, who wish to sell their paddy crops to the government.

This is being done to ensure timely payment and prevent farmers from outside to sell their grains to the government here.

White ration cards

The state government will issue white ration cards to families who have not been covered under the National Food Security Act.

Beneficiaries with white ration cards will get only kerosene oil at the beginning. Prospective beneficiaries can apply for the cards between October 15 and 31. The cards are likely to be distributed by the end of this year.