New Delhi, Sep 20 (KNS): Domestic LPG consumers will have to complete Aadhaar-based biometric authentication to avail subsidised refills from October 1, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said, as the government moves to ensure that subsidised cooking gas is supplied only to eligible beneficiaries.

Consumers who have already completed the authentication process will not be required to take any further action.

According to the ministry, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers, or 89.9 per cent of the total, had completed biometric Aadhaar authentication as of September 19. For consumers who are yet to complete the process, subsidised refill booking will be enabled after authentication.

The government said the measure is intended to prevent the diversion of subsidised domestic LPG cylinders for commercial and industrial use and to identify duplicate or ineligible connections.

Consumers can complete biometric authentication at the time of LPG delivery, at their distributor's showroom or through the mobile applications of the three state-owned oil marketing companies — IndianOil ONE for Indane, HelloBPCL for Bharatgas and HP PAY for HP Gas.

Those who do not complete biometric authentication will continue to receive LPG, but at the applicable market price without subsidy. Such consumers will have to register their choice through the digital channels of the oil marketing companies, including their websites, mobile applications, WhatsApp chatbots and IVRS.

They may also receive 5-kg or 10-kg cylinders, subject to local availability, the ministry said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The government had initially set June 30 as the deadline for completing biometric Aadhaar authentication. The deadline was subsequently extended several times, with the final extension ending on September 14.

The nationwide authentication exercise has been underway since October 2023. The ministry said oil marketing companies have sent more than 12 crore SMS and WhatsApp messages and carried out outreach through distributors, delivery personnel, special camps and IVRS prompts.

The move comes amid significant government support for keeping domestic LPG prices affordable. The ministry said the implicit subsidy on a 14.2-kg cylinder was around Rs 210 in September 2026, compared with Rs 721 in June.

The government had paid public-sector oil marketing companies Rs 22,000 crore towards domestic LPG under-recoveries in 2022-23 and is providing Rs 30,000 crore each in 2025-26 and 2026-27, according to the ministry.

Despite the support, accumulated under-recoveries on domestic LPG with state-owned oil marketing companies stood at more than Rs 62,000 crore as of August 31, 2026.

With the new requirement, consumers will effectively have access to either subsidised LPG, subject to eligibility and Aadhaar biometric authentication, or LPG at the applicable market price.

The government has urged consumers who are yet to complete the process to do so before October 1 through their distributor, during delivery or through the digital platforms of the concerned oil marketing company.

The LPG services helpline is 1800-2333-555.(KNS)