Aadhaar biometric authentication must for LPG subsidy from Oct 1

The government has made biometric Aadhaar authentication mandatory for domestic LPG consumers to book subsidised refills from October 1, the petroleum and natural gas ministry said on September 19. As of that date, 27.43 crore active consumers, or 89.9 per cent of the total, had completed the process. Those yet to authenticate can do so at delivery, at a distributor showroom, or via mobile apps of the three state-owned oil marketing companies.

The measure aims to prevent diversion of subsidised cylinders for commercial use and eliminate duplicate connections, the ministry said. Consumers who do not or cannot complete authentication will still get LPG at market price without subsidy. They must register their choice through the oil companies' digital channels and can receive 5-kg or 10-kg cylinders, subject to availability. The government has extended the deadline multiple times since June and has sent over 12 crore SMS and WhatsApp reminders.

The implicit subsidy on a 14.2-kg cylinder was around Rs 210 in September 2026, compared to Rs 721 in June. The government paid OMCs Rs 22,000 crore in compensation in 2022-23 and is paying Rs 30,000 crore in each of 2025-26 and 2026-27. Accumulated under-recoveries at state-owned OMCs exceeded Rs 62,000 crore as of August 31, 2026. The authentication rule creates a clear split between subsidised and market-priced LPG from October 1.