World · India Bureau
India tightens LPG cylinder booking rules with biometric authentication requirement
The Indian government has made biometric Aadhaar authentication mandatory for domestic LPG cylinder bookings from October 1, aiming to ensure subsidised gas reaches only eligible households and prevent misuse of the subsidy scheme.
LSN India ·
India's oil ministry has implemented stricter verification procedures for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder bookings, requiring consumers to provide biometric Aadhaar authentication starting October 1. The new measure represents a significant tightening of protocols governing one of the country's largest subsidy programmes.
Under the revised system, customers seeking to book subsidised cylinders must authenticate their identity through biometric verification linked to their Aadhaar identification number. The government has framed the requirement as essential to prevent duplicate bookings and ensure that subsidy benefits are distributed exclusively to eligible consumers.
The move comes amid concerns about subsidy leakage within the liquefied petroleum gas distribution network. Officials have indicated that the Aadhaar-based authentication system will create a more transparent record of cylinder allocations while reducing opportunities for unauthorised access to subsidised gas supplies.
Consumers registered under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the government's flagship scheme providing free LPG connections to economically disadvantaged households, will be among those affected by the new authentication requirements. The implementation is expected to streamline the subsidy delivery mechanism across India's extensive network of LPG distributors.