No Subsidised LPG Refills for Households Yet to Complete Biometric eKYC
Households that missed the September 14 biometric Aadhaar authentication deadline will no longer receive LPG refills at the regulated subsidised price.
Domestic LPG consumers who have not completed biometric Aadhaar authentication will no longer receive refills at the subsidised retail selling price, with the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas directing the three state-run oil marketing companies to act with immediate effect.
Under the revised arrangement, such households have two choices: complete the Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) process to keep drawing cylinders at the regulated price, or inform their distributor in writing that they cannot do so and accept refills at the market-determined price, which carries no explicit or implicit subsidy. The Ministry did not specify what that price would be.
Around 3.16 crore domestic LPG consumers nationwide had still not completed BAA when the September 14 deadline expired, despite repeated extensions. Explicit subsidy benefits, including Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG and targeted subsidy, were already halted for these consumers from July 1. They continued to receive refills at the regulated price, which the Ministry's September 17 communication described as an implicit subsidy and an avoidable burden on the exchequer.
The oil marketing companies — Indian Oil, BPCL and HPCL — have been told to block consumers who are not BAA compliant. Once authentication is completed, however, a consumer becomes eligible again to draw refills at the regulated price.
The process can be completed free of cost at the office of the concerned LPG distributor, at the time of cylinder delivery through the biometric-enabled handheld device carried by delivery personnel, or via mobile applications and company customer portals. Consumers have been advised to keep their Aadhaar linked and updated and to ensure the mobile number registered with their connection is active so that alerts and OTPs are received.
In Telangana, where an estimated 1.26 crore domestic LPG connections exist, the distributors' association has urged consumers to finish authentication early to avoid any interruption in supply. The association said it supports the objective of achieving 100% biometric authentication, calling it essential for prudent use of public funds and for accurately targeting subsidy to deserving households.