New Delhi: From Thursday, 1 October 2026, households that use domestic LPG must have completed Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) to book refills at the regulated price with subsidy. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas announced the rule on 19 September 2026. Consumers who have not completed the check can still get gas, but only at market price and in smaller cylinders.
Table of Contents
What happened
The new requirement came into force on 1 October. In simple words, your gas connection must be tied to a verified Aadhaar identity before you can book a subsidised refill. The check uses your biometric data, which is why it is called Biometric Aadhaar Authentication. Many people call it eKYC.
The ministry says the aim is to make sure subsidised LPG reaches only genuine and deserving households. Linking each connection to an Aadhaar verified consumer helps stop subsidised cylinders from being used by shops and factories. It also removes duplicate and ineligible connections. The ministry added that the process is not meant to deny LPG to any genuine household.
News agency ANI reported on 1 October that consumers who have not completed the check can no longer book the 14.2 kg domestic refill at the fixed price. Instead, they can buy a 5 kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinder or a 10 kg composite cylinder.
Who is affected
Most households are not affected. As on 19 September 2026, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers had completed the check. That is 89.9 per cent of all active domestic consumers. They do not need to do anything more, and their refills continue as before.
The rule matters for the remaining households, which is about one in ten active consumers as per the 19 September figure. Some may have finished the check since then. Gas sold by the three public sector oil marketing companies is covered. These are Indian Oil (Indane), BPCL (Bharatgas) and HPCL (HP Gas).
Key details and numbers
- Rule starts: 1 October 2026.
- Who must comply: domestic LPG consumers who want refills at the regulated retail selling price with subsidy.
- Already done: 27.43 crore consumers (89.9 per cent) as on 19 September 2026.
- Helpline: 1800 2333 555 (toll free).
There are three ways to complete the check. The first is at the time of delivery. The delivery person can do it on the spot using the company’s mobile app. The second is a visit to your LPG distributor’s showroom. The third is to do it yourself from home on your gas company’s app. Indane customers use IndianOil ONE. Bharatgas customers use HelloBPCL. HP Gas customers use HP PAY. Video guides on self eKYC are on the PMUY portal.
Once you finish the check, booking at the regulated price with subsidy is enabled again. Consumers who are unwilling or unable to complete it must record that choice on their company’s digital channels. These include the consumer web portal, the app, the WhatsApp chatbot and the IVRS phone service. They then get LPG at the market price, without any subsidy, in 5 kg or 10 kg cylinders, depending on local availability.
The price gap can be large. The Hindu reported from Hyderabad on 1 October that a subsidised 14.2 kg cylinder costs Rs 994, or around Rs 70 per kg. A 5 kg FTL refill there costs Rs 846.50 and a 10 kg composite cylinder Rs 1,801. By simple arithmetic, that is more than twice the per kg cost. The paper added that first time FTL users also have to pay for equipment. Prices differ by city.
ANI reported that domestic cylinder prices did not change on 1 October. The 5 kg FTL cylinder became Rs 15.50 costlier, while the 19 kg commercial cylinder rose by Rs 62.50 to Rs 2,810 in Delhi.
What happens next
Households that have not done the check will see the effect when they next try to book. The Hindu quoted a distributors’ association leader in Telangana who said the first day was like any other day at distributorships. He expects the impact to show in the coming days, as consumers find they cannot place orders. He added that he had asked distributors to keep enough 5 kg and 10 kg cylinders, since demand usually rises in the festival season and winter.
There is no new deadline to wait for. The earlier last date has passed. The ministry says refill booking at the regulated price opens as soon as the check is done, so a family can fix the problem at any time.
Background
Consumers were first asked to complete the check by 30 June 2026. The date was extended several times, to 31 July, 7 August, 15 August, 23 August, 31 August, 7 September and finally 14 September 2026. Since October 2023, the gas companies have run an outreach drive. They sent more than 12 crore SMS and WhatsApp messages, held camps at distributorships and in rural areas, and used phone prompts during booking.
Cost is part of the story. Domestic LPG is sold below its cost. The ministry says the implicit subsidy was around Rs 210 per 14.2 kg cylinder in September 2026. In June 2026 it had reached Rs 721 per cylinder. The government paid the gas companies Rs 22,000 crore in compensation in 2022 to 23 and is paying Rs 30,000 crore across 2025 to 26 and 2026 to 27. Even then, the companies’ accumulated losses on domestic LPG were above Rs 62,000 crore on 31 August 2026.
What it means for you
First, find out whether your connection is already authenticated. If you are unsure, ask your delivery person or distributor. If it is not done, do it now. It is quick on the app, and the delivery person can also do it at your door.
Second, carry your Aadhaar details when you visit the distributor, and use only your gas company’s official app or showroom. Do not share one time passwords or personal details with strangers who call you about LPG.
Third, if you do not want to use Aadhaar, record that choice with the company so that you can still get 5 kg or 10 kg cylinders. Expect to pay market price.
For more background, read our guides on the Prime Minister Ujjwala Plan, Aadhaar card basics and how to link Aadhaar with a mobile number.
Sources
- Press Information Bureau (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas), Biometric Aadhaar Authentication Mandatory for Subsidised Domestic LPG Refills from 1 October 2026, 19 September 2026
- ANI via Deccan Chronicle, Aadhaar eKYC Mandatory for 14.2 kg LPG Refills from Today, 1 October 2026
- The Hindu (Hyderabad), No subsidised refill norm for non eKYC LPG users comes into force, 1 October 2026
- Business Standard, LPG Aadhaar rule: How subsidy and cylinder bookings change from Oct 1, 28 September 2026
- The Times of India and The Economic Times, explainers on the LPG Aadhaar rule, September 2026