Starting 1 October, domestic LPG consumers in India must complete biometric Aadhaar authentication to continue availing subsidised fuel, as authorities aim to prevent diversion and eligibility misuse amid declining subsidies.
From 1 October, domestic LPG consumers in India will have to complete biometric Aadhaar authentication to book subsidised cooking gas refills, as the government moves to tighten controls on the fuel subsidy system. Consumers who have already finished the authentication process will not need to do anything further, while those who have not will still be able to buy LPG, but at the market price unless they complete verification.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the change is designed to curb diversion of subsidised domestic cylinders into commercial or industrial use and to weed out duplicate or ineligible connections. According to reporting by Indian and business media, the government has repeatedly delayed the deadline, which was originally set for 30 June before being extended several times, with 14 September eventually treated as the final cut-off date.
The scale of compliance is already high. By 19 September, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers, or 89.9% of the total, had completed biometric authentication, according to the ministry. Consumers who have yet to finish the process can still register through distributor showrooms, during cylinder delivery, or via the mobile apps and digital platforms run by state-owned oil marketing companies, including IndianOil ONE, HelloBPCL and HP PAY.
The subsidy itself has become smaller this year. Reports cited by Indian media show the implicit subsidy on a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder was about Rs 210 in September 2026, down from Rs 721 in June. The government is also paying public-sector oil companies Rs 30,000 crore each in 2025-26 and 2026-27 to cover domestic LPG under-recoveries, while accumulated under-recoveries at state-owned fuel retailers stood above Rs 62,000 crore at the end of August, according to the reports.
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