Complete LPG e-KYC Before October 1 or Lose Cooking Gas Subsidy: New Rules Take Effect Across UP

Millions of domestic cooking gas consumers across Uttar Pradesh face an impending surge in monthly refill expenses as the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas prepares to enforce a strict biometric e-KYC compliance mandate starting October 1, 2026. Under the new statutory framework, households that fail to authenticate their customer credentials will be immediately stripped of their direct benefit transfer (DBT) subsidies, forcing them to purchase refill cylinders at unsubsidized open-market rates. In districts such as Banda, the administrative scramble has reached critical levels, where departmental audits indicate that nearly two lakh domestic consumers have yet to finish their biometric validation, creating a ticking clock for families reliant on price concessions across Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum networks.Price Hikes and Phony Connection Crackdown: Over 1.94 Lakh Pending in Banda AloneAccording to official data released by the District Supply Department, Banda hosts a total of 4.06 lakh registered LPG connection holders across Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum distributorships. While 2.12 lakh consumers have completed their digital verification, an alarming 1.94 lakh accounts remain unverified, with rural belts including Naraini, Baberu, and Atarra logging the slowest compliance rates due to low digital awareness. Consumers who miss the October 1 cut-off will instantly lose the direct refill subsidy of roughly ₹210 per cylinder, driving consumer costs from the subsidized rate of approximately ₹840 up to the market-determined retail threshold of ₹1,000 per cylinder. District Supply Officer Qayamuddin Ansari emphasized that the biometric authentication drive aims to systematically purge ghost beneficiaries, duplicate accounts registered to a single individual, and active connections still operating under deceased persons' names, warning that unverified links will be placed on automatic administrative hold.Step-by-Step Guide: How to Complete Biometric e-KYC via Mobile or Jan Seva KendraTo avoid disruption to subsidized deliveries, consumers can finish authentication either digitally from home or via local service centers before the October deadline:Digital Verification via Mobile Smartphone AppsDownload the respective official service app based on your distributor: IndianOil One (for Indane), Hello BPCL (for Bharat Gas), or HP Pay (for HP Gas).Register or log in using your registered mobile number or consumer identification details.Navigate to the home dashboard and select the dedicated "e-KYC" prompt.Input your government ID credentials to generate a one-time verification passcode (OTP) on your linked mobile device.Enter the passcode and initiate facial biometric scanning using your device camera to complete verification within two minutes.Assisted Authentication at Common Service Centers (CSC / Jan Seva Kendra)Visit your neighborhood Common Service Center (CSC) or local Jan Seva Kendra with your registered gas connection passbook, identity card, and linked mobile device.The center operator accesses the respective oil marketing company portal to execute the official biometric finger or iris scan.Following authentication, collect the generated physical confirmation acknowledgement receipt, available free of charge to all consumers.