The final date for completing the mandatory LPG e-KYC has officially concluded, and an extension is widely considered unlikely as roughly 12 lakh LPG users across the country remain pending. The expiration of this timeframe brings significant operational and financial implications for consumers who failed to complete their biometric verification in time.
Official Stance and Local Distributor Figures
An official from Indane, the flagship LPG brand of Indian Oil in Calcutta, noted that the active deadline stands at August 31 with no official information regarding any further extension, pointing out that such a decision rests entirely at the national level. Meanwhile, a local LPG distributor in Calcutta reported that around 32,000 domestic LPG customers in their specific zone still need to finish their e-KYC. Another distributor revealed that out of a total of 50,000 non-Ujjwala LPG connections, about 10 percent of households are yet to complete the process.
Behari Biswas, spokesperson for the Indane LPG Distributors' Association in Bengal, stated that the Union Ministry will make the final decision on how to handle the situation moving forward. Consumers encountered substantial challenges over the weekend while attempting to finish their verification, as numerous agencies remained shut on Sunday. However, select LPG distributors kept operations running on both August 29 and August 30 to accommodate customers rushing to finalize their e-KYC requirements.
Subsidies and Financial Impact on Consumers
Users who failed to meet the cutoff date will lose access to subsidized LPG cylinder rates, and their direct benefit transfer payments under the PMUY scheme will be paused until verification is successfully finished. Additionally, non-PMUY customers who missed the e-KYC deadline will likely be forced to purchase domestic LPG cylinders at commercial pricing tiers. There is also an emerging probability of temporary service suspensions for Indane Gas, HP Gas, and Bharat Gas connections for unverified accounts. These adverse impacts can only be lifted once the Aadhaar biometric authentication is successfully completed.
To understand the monetary stakes, current market prices for a 14.2 kg Indane Gas LPG cylinder stand at Rs 942 in Delhi, Rs 968 in Kolkata, Rs 941.50 in Mumbai, and Rs 957.50 in Chennai. PMUY beneficiaries receive a Rs 300 subsidy on their 14.2 kg cylinders, effectively reducing their purchase price to roughly Rs 642 in Delhi, Rs 668 in Kolkata, Rs 641.5 in Mumbai, and Rs 657.50 in Chennai. However, this financial relief is strictly restricted to individuals who have completed their e-KYC.
Commercial Rates and Price Differences
Consumers falling under the non-PMUY category who missed the August 31 deadline will find themselves paying commercial rates for domestic supplies. Commercial 19 kg LPG rates for August were pegged at Rs 2,738 in Delhi, Rs 2,691.50 in Mumbai, Rs 2,872.50 in Kolkata, and Rs 2,906 in Chennai. Losing eligibility for domestic subsidized pricing and shifting to commercial tiers means paying an extra Rs 1,796 on domestic LPG in Delhi, derived from the difference between the commercial rate of Rs 2,738 and the subsidized domestic rate of Rs 942. Similar financial repercussions are anticipated across various states.
Consumers are strongly advised to reach out directly to their respective LPG distributors or oil marketing companies to obtain the latest updates regarding their accounts, noting that policy implementations can vary. Checking directly with authorized local providers ensures accurate guidance on resolving pending verification issues.
Step-by-Step Guide to Completing E-KYC
Users can complete their verification digitally by downloading the official mobile application corresponding to their gas provider. For Indane Gas, users can utilize the IndianOil One or AadhaarFaceRD apps; for Bharat Gas, the Hello BPCL app is available; and for HP Gas, customers should download the HP Pay or AadhaarFaceRD applications.
After downloading the application, register or log in using the mobile number linked directly to your LPG account. Enter the OTP sent to your registered device to verify the number. Next, link your LPG account by entering your 16-digit LPG ID if you are an Indane customer, while BPCL and HPCL apps provide direct e-KYC navigation options on their interfaces.
Locate the e-KYC option within the app. For Indane Gas, navigate to the My Profile section; for Bharat Gas, access the option directly from the homepage; and for HP Gas, look under the LPG section of the HP Pay app. Read through the terms and conditions carefully and provide consent to proceed with Aadhaar-based face authentication. Finally, initiate the face scan by tapping the face capture button, allow the AadhaarFaceRD app to scan your face, and follow the on-screen prompts to finalize the verification successfully.
