In a move to ensure that cooking gas subsidies reach genuine and deserving households, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has announced that Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) will be mandatory for domestic LPG consumers starting October 1, 2026.
Consumers who fail to complete the process will not be able to book cylinder refills at the regulated Retail Selling Price (RSP) with the applicable subsidy.
The initiative aims to curb the diversion of subsidized domestic cylinders for commercial and industrial use, eliminate duplicate connections, and bring maximum transparency to subsidy delivery. The Ministry emphasized that this process is not intended to deny LPG access to genuine households, offering multiple accessible avenues to complete the authentication.
According to government data, the nationwide outreach has been highly successful. As of September 19, 2026, over 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers—approximately 89.9% of the total base—have already completed their BAA and do not need to take any further action.
How to Complete the Authentication
For the remaining consumers, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have made the verification process seamless, offering three primary methods:
- At the Doorstep: Delivery personnel are equipped to complete the authentication on the spot using OMC mobile applications when delivering a cylinder.
- At the Distributor: Consumers can visit their respective LPG distributor’s showroom to complete the process in person.
- From Home: Consumers can easily perform self e-KYC via the official mobile apps: IndianOil ONE (Indane), HelloBPCL (Bharatgas), or HP PAY (HP Gas). Video tutorials for self-authentication are also available on the PMUY portal.
For those who are unable or unwilling to undergo biometric authentication, LPG will still be supplied at the applicable market price without any subsidy. These consumers must register their choice to opt out via their OMC’s digital channels, such as web portals, mobile apps, or WhatsApp chatbots.
The Rising Cost of Subsidies
Domestic LPG is currently sold significantly below its actual cost. The implicit subsidy for September 2026 stands at roughly ₹210 per 14.2 kg cylinder, having peaked at ₹721 earlier in June. To keep cooking gas affordable, the government provided OMCs with a compensation of ₹22,000 crore in FY 2022-23 and has committed ₹30,000 crore across FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27. Despite these massive cash injections, the accumulated under-recoveries for public sector OMCs had still breached the ₹62,000 crore mark by late August 2026.
Directing these funds exclusively to authenticated, genuine consumers is viewed as critical to the long-term sustainability of the subsidy program. OMCs have conducted aggressive outreach campaigns since late 2023, sending over 12 crore messages and hosting special verification camps across rural and high-footfall areas to ensure no eligible household is left behind.
Consumers requiring assistance with LPG services or the authentication process can contact the toll-free national helpline at 1800 2333 555.
