LPG customers have until 1 October to protect their subsidy: Here's what you need to do

If you use domestic LPG in India and haven’t yet completed your Biometric Aadhaar Authentication, there’s an important date approaching. From 1 October 2026, you’ll need to have completed Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) before you can book a domestic LPG refill at the regulated Retail Selling Price (RSP) with any applicable subsidy.

The good news is that most households have already done it. As of 19 September, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers, around 89.9% had completed authentication. But that still leaves millions of connections where authentication hasn’t been completed. If yours is one of them, now is the time to check.

What’s changing on 1 October?

From 1 October, Biometric Aadhaar Authentication becomes mandatory if you want to book your domestic LPG refill at the regulated price with any subsidy that applies to you.

If you’ve already completed BAA, you don’t need to do anything again. Your LPG refills should continue as before. If you haven’t completed it, however, your ability to book at the regulated RSP with applicable subsidy will only be enabled once you’ve authenticated.

The government says the change is designed to make sure subsidised domestic LPG reaches genuine and eligible households, while identifying duplicate or ineligible connections and preventing domestic cylinders from being diverted for commercial or industrial use.

How do you complete Biometric Aadhaar Authentication?

You don’t necessarily need to make a special trip to get it done.

There are three main ways to complete your authentication:

When your LPG cylinder is delivered: ask the delivery person to complete the authentication using the relevant Oil Marketing Company (OMC) mobile app.
At your LPG distributor: visit your distributor’s showroom and complete the biometric authentication there.
From home: use your LPG provider’s mobile app – IndianOil ONE if you’re an Indane customer, HelloBPCL for Bharatgas or HP PAY for HP Gas.

That means you may be able to sort it out without visiting your distributor at all.

What if you’ve already authenticated?

You don’t need to repeat the process, the government has specifically confirmed that consumers who have already completed Biometric Aadhaar Authentication don’t need to take any further action because of the 1 October change. So don’t be caught out by messages suggesting that everyone needs to authenticate again before the deadline.

What happens if you don’t complete it before 1 October?

This is where it’s important to understand what the new rule actually means, you won’t simply be cut off from LPG. The government says that if you haven’t completed BAA, booking at the regulated Retail Selling Price with applicable subsidy will become available once you complete the authentication.

There’s also an alternative if you’re unwilling or unable to complete BAA. You can register that choice through your OMC’s digital channels, such as its consumer portal, mobile app, WhatsApp chatbot or IVRS. You’ll then be able to receive LPG at the applicable market price without subsidy, in 5kg or 10kg cylinders, subject to local availability.

So headlines suggesting you’ll simply lose access to cooking gas altogether after 1 October are misleading. The important issue is your access to domestic LPG at the regulated price with any applicable subsidy.

Why is the government making the change?

Biometric authentication of LPG customers isn’t a completely new initiative. Oil Marketing Companies have been carrying out a nationwide authentication drive since October 2023, with the government saying Aadhaar authentication helps identify genuine beneficiaries, remove duplicate or ineligible connections and reduce the diversion of subsidised domestic LPG.

The scale of the campaign has been significant. More than 12 crore SMS and WhatsApp messages have been sent to consumers, while distributors and delivery staff have been contacting customers who haven’t yet authenticated. Camps have also been held at LPG distributorships, busy public locations and in rural areas.

The deadline has already been extended several times during 2026. Consumers were initially asked to complete BAA by 30 June, with subsequent extensions eventually taking the deadline to September.

The government is now urging anyone who still hasn’t authenticated to do so before the new arrangements begin on 1 October 2026.

How much is the LPG subsidy worth?

The amount involved isn’t insignificant, according to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, domestic LPG is currently being sold below cost. It estimates the implicit subsidy in September 2026 at around ₹210 for a 14.2kg cylinder. In June 2026, when LPG costs were substantially higher, that figure reached ₹721 per cylinder.

That doesn’t mean every consumer receives ₹210 directly into their bank account or that everyone receives the same subsidy. Your circumstances and the applicable subsidy arrangements matter. But it does underline why you shouldn’t ignore the authentication requirement if you’re eligible for subsidised LPG.

Be wary of misleading messages about LPG changes

Major deadlines like this can also create confusion, particularly when information circulates through WhatsApp or social media. Earlier this year, for example, the government had to issue a clarification after reports claimed LPG refill booking intervals were changing. It confirmed that those particular claims were incorrect.

So don’t rely on a forwarded message telling you that your connection is about to be blocked or asking you to hand over personal or banking information. Use your LPG provider’s official channels to check your connection and complete authentication.

Having problems completing your authentication?

Don’t leave it until you’re trying to order your next cylinder, try another of the available authentication routes if one isn’t working. For example, if you’re having difficulty using the app, speak to your LPG distributor or ask whether authentication can be completed when your cylinder is delivered.

For help with LPG services, you can also call the official toll-free helpline on 1800 2333 555.

Keep a record of any problems you experience, particularly if you’ve tried to complete authentication before the deadline but a technical or administrative problem prevents you from doing so.

Check your LPG connection now

With almost 90% of active domestic LPG consumers already authenticated, you may find there’s nothing more you need to do. But it’s worth checking rather than discovering a problem when you next need a refill.

If you haven’t completed Biometric Aadhaar Authentication, use one of the official options available to you before 1 October 2026, and if something goes wrong with your LPG provider and you can’t resolve the problem directly, keep records of your complaint and the responses you receive. You can take an unresolved consumer grievance to the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) for further help. The key is not to wait until you’re running out of gas to find out there’s a problem.

If you have any thoughts on this topic, or any other consumer issues you would like us to cover, feel free to get in touch with us at support@resolver.co.uk.

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