LPG-Aadhaar Authentication: What Changes From October 1

Domestic LPG consumers will have to complete an important Aadhaar-related process before booking their next subsidised cooking gas refill. From October 1, biometric Aadhaar authentication will be required for domestic LPG consumers availing the subsidy. The process is aimed at verifying beneficiaries and ensuring that the subsidy reaches the intended recipients. Customers can complete the authentication through their LPG distributor or other authorised channels, depending on the oil company. If you use a domestic LPG connection, it is worth checking your authentication status now to avoid last-minute problems when booking your cylinder.

Who Has To Do It?

The government said on Saturday that any unauthenticated LPG consumer who is eligible for subsidised LPG cylinder and has not yet completed the biometric authentication must do it before the October 1 deadline.

Consumers enrolled in the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) need to do it once every financial year, specifically for targeted DBT (direct benefit transfer) subsidies on certain refills (such as the 8th and 9th refills).

What Happens If The Deadline Is Missed?

Consumers who are unwilling or unable to complete the biometric authentication can still receive LPG. They will need to register this choice on their OMC's digital channels - web portal, mobile app, WhatsApp chatbot, IVRS or other available channels.

These consumers will be supplied LPG applicable market price, without any subsidy, in 5 kg or 10 kg cylinders, subject to local availability with the OMC.

Subsidised Vs Market-Price Cylinder

The government provides LPG subsidy to make clean cooking fuel affordable for lower-income households and reduce health risks from traditional biomass fuels.

As per a petroleum ministry release, the implicit subsidy for September 2026 is around Rs 210 per 14.2 kg cylinder; in June 2026, it had reached Rs 721 per cylinder.

To keep domestic LPG affordable, the government paid oil marketing companies (OMCs) compensation of Rs 22,000 crore in FY 2022-23 and is Rs 30,000 crore in FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27. Even after this, accumulated under-recoveries of public sector OMCs on domestic LPG exceeded Rs 62,000 crore as on August 31, 2026.

This is why, the ministry said, it is undertaking the biometric authentication route so that the subsidy reaches genuine consumers.

How To Complete Biometric Authentication

LPG consumers can get the authentication done during refill delivery. The OMC executive can complete authentication on the spot using his company's mobile application.

Alternatively, a consumer can visit a distributor's showroom and complete authentication there. Furter, consumers can complete the process themselves from home using mobile applications of the OMC they have subscribed to.

Consumers who have already completed the authentication will not need to take any further action.

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

The government had initially asked consumers to complete biometric Aadhaar authentication by June 30, but subsequently extended the deadline several times to July 31, August 7, August 15, August 23, August 31, September 7 and September 14.