LPG EKYC: Big news for LPG consumers. Cooking gas (LPG) consumers in West Bengal are facing delays in completing their Aadhaar biometric e-KYC, causing concerns for gas distributors and oil companies. Indian Oil (IOCL) and other petroleum firms have stated that failure to complete e-KYC by August 16, 2026, will result in consumers losing subsidized LPG cylinders. Currently, a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder in Kolkata costs Rs 968, with consumers receiving a Rs 19.57 subsidy which will be halted if e-KYC is not completed.
Distributor’s Concerns
Ramakrishna Chakraborty, the secretary of the Indane LPG Distributors Association of Bengal, mentions that their agency has around 8,500 consumers awaiting e-KYC, but only 70-80 customers are visiting daily. At this pace, less than half are likely to update their e-KYC in time. Despite continuous efforts by agency staff to reach out, many customers claim they were unaware of the requirement.
Impact on Consumers
Around 14 million non-Ujjwala LPG consumers in West Bengal are affected, with Indane holding 9 million connections. An IOCL official revealed that approximately 77 percent of customers have completed e-KYC, leaving the remaining 23 percent to finish the process by August 16th.
Gas distributors have observed instances where multiple connections were registered under one person’s name, leading to consumers voluntarily surrendering extra connections due to stricter e-KYC regulations.
E-KYC Methods
– Online Mode: Indian Oil customers can complete Aadhaar biometric e-KYC from their smartphones using the IndianOil ONE App.
– Offline Mode: Consumers can undergo biometric verification (fingerprint/iris) at their gas agency.
– Through Delivery Personnel: E-KYC can be conducted during cylinder delivery using devices available with employees.
– Special Assistance for Senior Citizens: Agencies are arranging for staff to visit elderly individuals at home for e-KYC who face mobility challenges.
Meanwhile New LPG cylinder rates will be released on August 1, 2026. Learn about five key signs that are predicting a gas price increase and the current rates.Indian oil companies like Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL fix new rates for 5 kg, 10 kg, 14.2 kg and 19 kg LPG cylinders on the first of every month. This time, there are many indications from the international market to the price of crude oil, due to which the discussion about increase in the price of gas cylinders has intensified.