Aadhaar Biometric Check Now Mandatory for Subsidised LPG Refills; Commercial Cylinder Up Rs 62.50

A change to how India distributes subsidised cooking gas took effect on Thursday. Domestic LPG consumers who have not completed biometric Aadhaar authentication can no longer book a standard 14.2-kg refill at the regulated retail price. For most households nothing changes, but for the roughly one in ten connections that have not yet been verified, the cheapest cylinder is now out of reach until they complete the process.

What the rule does

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has made Biometric Aadhaar Authentication mandatory for anyone seeking a domestic refill at the subsidised price. Consumers who have already been authenticated will keep receiving cylinders as before and do not need to do anything further.

Those who have not completed the check are not cut off from LPG altogether. They can instead buy or refill 5-kg Free Trade LPG cylinders or 10-kg composite fibre cylinders at market prices, subject to local availability. The ministry has said consumers who are unwilling or unable to authenticate must register that choice through the oil marketing companies' digital channels.

How many people are affected

By September 19, about 27.43 crore active domestic consumers, or 89.9% of the total, had completed authentication. That leaves a little over 10% of connections, potentially around three crore, that would need to act to keep buying at the regulated price.

The process can be done at the time of cylinder delivery, at the distributor's showroom, or through the apps of the three public sector oil companies: IndianOil ONE for Indane customers, HelloBPCL for Bharatgas and HP PAY for HP Gas.

Why the government is doing it

The stated aim is to make sure subsidised gas reaches genuine, eligible households. Officials have pointed to three problems: domestic cylinders being diverted to commercial and industrial use, duplicate connections, and connections held by people who no longer qualify. Linking each refill to a biometric check makes all three harder.

The fiscal stakes have shifted sharply this year. The ministry put the implicit subsidy on a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder at about Rs 210 in September, down from Rs 721 in June as global LPG prices eased. The government is also compensating the oil marketing companies to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore across FY26 and FY27 for under-recoveries.

Prices revised on the same day

The rule came alongside the monthly price reset. The 19-kg commercial cylinder, used by restaurants, hotels and caterers, now costs Rs 2,810 in Delhi, up Rs 62.50 from Rs 2,747.50. It is the second straight monthly increase and lands just as festive-season demand from food businesses picks up. The 5-kg Free Trade cylinder rose Rs 15.50 to Rs 779.50. Domestic 14.2-kg cylinder prices were left unchanged.

For households that are already authenticated, the practical impact of October 1 is close to zero. For small eateries, the commercial hike will feed into costs during the busiest weeks of the year. And for the unverified minority, the clock has effectively run out: the fastest route back to the subsidised price is to complete the check at the next delivery.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.