LPG Aadhaar authentication becomes mandatory for subsidised refills from October 1

Domestic LPG consumers will need to complete Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) from October 1, 2026, if they want to book refills at the regulated Retail Selling Price (RSP) with applicable subsidy, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) said on Saturday.

The government said the measure is aimed at ensuring that subsidised LPG reaches genuine and eligible households while reducing the diversion of domestic cylinders for commercial and industrial use. It will also help identify duplicate and ineligible connections and make subsidy delivery more targeted and transparent.

As of September 19, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers, or 89.9 per cent of the total, had completed BAA, according to the ministry.

What changes from October 1

Consumers who have already completed biometric Aadhaar authentication will not have to repeat the process and will continue to book refills as before.

For those who have not completed BAA, subsidised refills at the regulated price will become available once the authentication is completed. The ministry has stressed that the measure is not intended to deny LPG to genuine households.

Consumers can complete the authentication process at the time of cylinder delivery, by visiting their LPG distributor's showroom, or through the mobile applications of the respective oil marketing companies (OMCs). The government had earlier clarified that biometric authentication is provided free of charge.

Consumers can opt out of subsidy

Consumers who are unwilling or unable to complete BAA will still be able to receive LPG. They will, however, have to register their choice through their OMC's digital channels, including the consumer web portal, mobile application, WhatsApp chatbot or Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), among other available options.

Such consumers will receive LPG at the applicable market price rather than the subsidised rate. The ministry said 5 kg or 10 kg cylinders will be supplied, subject to local availability with the OMC.

The government has therefore linked access to subsidised refills, rather than LPG itself, to completion of biometric Aadhaar authentication.

Several deadlines were extended

The authentication exercise has been under way for several years. In October 2023, the government directed public-sector OMCs to undertake biometric Aadhaar authentication of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and PAHAL beneficiaries. Consumers were subsequently given multiple opportunities to complete the process.

For the current nationwide exercise, the initial deadline was June 30, 2026. It was subsequently extended to July 31, August 7, August 15, August 23, August 31, September 7 and finally September 14.

The OMCs have also conducted an extensive outreach campaign since October 2023. According to the ministry, more than 12 crore SMS and WhatsApp messages have been sent to consumers, while distributors and delivery personnel have followed up individually with those who were yet to complete authentication.

Government cites subsidy burden

The ministry has justified the tighter authentication requirement by pointing to the cost of keeping domestic LPG affordable.

Domestic LPG is currently sold below its cost, with the government's implicit subsidy estimated at around ₹210 per 14.2 kg cylinder in September 2026. The implicit subsidy had risen to ₹721 per cylinder in June 2026.

To offset the financial burden on OMCs and keep domestic LPG affordable, the government provided compensation of ₹22,000 crore to the companies in 2022-23. It is providing a further ₹30,000 crore during 2025-26 and 2026-27.

Despite this support, accumulated under-recoveries of public-sector OMCs on domestic LPG stood at more than ₹62,000 crore as of August 31, 2026, according to the ministry.

Authentication is part of wider LPG verification

The latest requirement builds on the government's broader efforts to improve targeting of LPG subsidies. The PAHAL Direct Benefit Transfer system, introduced in 2015, transfers applicable LPG subsidies directly to consumers' bank accounts. The government has also used Aadhaar, bank details and other information to identify duplicate connections and remove ineligible beneficiaries.

In August 2025, the government said more than four crore duplicate LPG connections had been deactivated through its verification and deduplication measures. It also said the Common LPG Database Platform uses parameters including Aadhaar, bank account details, ration card information, name and address to identify duplicate connections.

The government has previously said biometric authentication allows real-time identification and de-duplication of beneficiaries and helps ensure that targeted benefits reach intended recipients.

Consumers can seek help through OMC channels

For consumers requiring assistance with authentication or subsidy-related issues, the government has cited the toll-free LPG helpline 1800 2333 555, along with OMC websites and mobile applications. Complaints can also be lodged through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System and other digital grievance channels.

The government has also maintained that biometric authentication itself is not a chargeable service. Consumers asked to pay for the process have been advised to report the matter through the official helpline.