Politics & Policy

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has mandated that domestic LPG consumers complete Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) to book refills at the regulated retail selling price with applicable subsidy, effective from October 1, 2026. As of September 19, 2026, 27.43 crore active consumers, representing 89.9% of the total, had already completed this verification process. The government clarified that existing authenticated users face no disruption, while unauthenticated consumers must complete BAA to access subsidies or opt for market-priced cylinders. The initiative aims to eliminate duplicate connections and prevent the diversion of subsidised domestic LPG for commercial or industrial use. Distributor Consumers who refuse or fail to authenticate can still receive LPG in 5 kg or 10 kg sizes at the applicable market price by registering their choice through Oil Marketing Company digital channels. Introduced This policy follows a nationwide drive ongoing since October 2023, which involved multiple deadline extensions from June 30 to September 14, 2026. Fiscal context highlights significant under-recoveries for public-sector oil marketing companies, which crossed Rs 62,000 crore as of August 31, 2026. The government provides substantial compensation, including Rs 30,000 crore each in 2025-26 and 2026-27, to offset implicit subsidies that averaged Rs 210 per 14.2-kg cylinder in September 2026. Authentication can be completed via delivery personnel, distributor showrooms, or specific mobile applications like IndianOil ONE, HelloBPCL, and HP PAY