The Indian government has clarified that LPG Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (eKYC) is only required for unauthenticated LPG customers and not all customers. The clarification from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas concerns news reports circulating about Biometric Aadhaar Authentication for LPG consumers.
In a clarification from its social media handles, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said, this is not a fresh direction and is part of the government’s efforts to encourage more LPG consumers to complete biometric Aadhaar authentication.
Stating that some news reports have been circulating about biometric Aadhaar authentication for LPG consumers, the Ministry clarified that the eKYC requirement applies to LPG consumers who have not yet completed eKYC. Non-Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) customers who have done it before need not do it again.
“In this regard, it’s clarified that THIS IS NOT A FRESH DIRECTION. The recent post by the ministry is a part of the ongoing efforts of the Government to encourage more LPG consumers to complete biometric Aadhaar authentication,” it said in the post.
The Ministry further stated
- The requirement of eKYC applies to those LPG consumers who have not done eKYC so far. If you are a non-PMUY customer and have done it before, you don’t need to do it again.
- PMUY customers need to do it only once every financial year, that too only for receiving targeted DBT subsidies after 7 refills i.e. on 8th and 9th refill.
- eKYC can be done easily sitting at home, free of cost.
- Supply of refills is not affected in any case.
“eKYC ensures transparency, establishes clear eligibility, weeds out ghost consumers and discourages diversion of LPG,” it added.
India starts sourcing LPG from multiple global channels, including US
The government today informed that the country has started sourcing LPG from multiple global channels, including the United States, to diversify supplies amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The government added that there is no ‘dry out’ at any LPG distributor and supplies remain smooth across the country.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry’s Joint Secretary, Marketing and Oil Refinery, Sujata Sharma, said during an inter-ministerial briefing that most of the LPG is coming from the Gulf.
“Our OMCs have started taking LPG from the US. Government is putting all efforts to diversify sources of LPG too,” said Sharma, adding that: “We are getting more crude today due to increased diversification.”
Commercial LPG supplies have also been partially restored, with states resuming distribution. To ease pressure on domestic LPG demand, alternative fuels such as kerosene and coal have also been activated.
Sharma noted that panic-driven demand is easing. “There is a downward trend in panic booking. On March 13, there were 89 lakh panic bookings. It has come down to 70 lakh today.”
LPG refill distribution rate remains the same as before the conflict, she said, urging consumers to avoid hoarding and avoid black-market purchases.
According to the ministry, fuel availability remains stable, with refineries running at full capacity and sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel.
“There is no dry out at any LPG distributor, and supplies to consumers remain smooth,” Sharma said. Also, a strong push toward digital platforms has improved booking patterns.
In the early hours of Tuesday, Indian-flagged vessel Nanda Devi arrived at Vadinar in Gujarat’s Jamnagar, to commence a ship-to-ship transfer of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), becoming the second LPG carrier to reach the west coast this week after ‘Shivalik’ docked at Mundra Port a day earlier.
Sushil Kumar Singh, Chairman of the Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, confirmed the arrival and the planned maritime operations.
(With inputs from agencies)
