Aadhaar Biometric Authentication to Become Mandatory for Subsidised LPG Refills From October

India's petroleum ministry has announced that biometric authentication via Aadhaar will become mandatory for all domestic LPG cylinder refills from October this year, bringing an end to the use of OTP-based or demographic verification for subisdised refills. The move is expected to directly affect thousands of household gas connections across the country that are still availing the subsidy without completing full biometric linkage.

According to data released by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as of September 19, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers had already completed biometric Aadhaar authentication. This represents approximately 89.9 per cent of the total eligible consumer base, meaning roughly one in ten remaining users still relies on non-biometric methods for subsidy transfers.

The government has been progressively tightening Aadhaar linkage as part of its broader JAM Trinity framework — linking Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar identities, and mobile numbers — to ensure that fuel subsidies reach genuine beneficiaries and to curtail leakage through duplicate or phantom connections. Past phases of the rollout have already mandated Aadhaar seeding for new LPG connections, while existing users were given multiple deadlines to comply.

Under the current arrangement, customers who have not yet completed biometric authentication can still refill cylinders using OTP sent to their registered mobile number or by entering basic demographic details. From October, these alternative methods will no longer be available for subsidised refills, and consumers will need to authenticate through指纹 or iris scanning at point-of-sale terminals.

LPG distributors and dealer associations have called for adequate preparation time, noting that some consumers in rural and remote areas face challenges with biometric device compatibility and internet connectivity. The ministry has stated that helpdesks and support mechanisms will remain in place to assist stranded consumers during the transition period.

Analysts say the final push towards universal biometric authentication could significantly reduce subsidy fraud, which the government estimates costs billions annually through fake connections and diversion of subsidised cylinders to commercial markets.