Desk, New Delhi. If you also use LPG, then this news will blow your senses! There is going to be a major change in the rules for domestic LPG consumers from October 1. According to the new order of the government, now it has been made mandatory to undergo biometric authentication to avail the benefit of gas subsidy. If you do not do this work on time, your pocket is going to be directly affected. Let us know what is going to change from October 1.
What will change from October 1?
Many major changes are going to be implemented for gas consumers across the country from October 1. First of all, if you do not complete your biometric verification before the deadline, the subsidy money you receive will stop coming. However, this will not stop your gas booking or delivery completely, but you will have to give up the benefit of relief and buy the cylinder at the full market price i.e. at a higher price.
Apart from this, with the arrival of this new rule, fake and dual connections will be identified in a jiffy, and fake connections running in the same name will be automatically blocked. Besides, illegal and commercial use of cheap cylinders available in the name of domestic use in hotels, restaurants or industrial areas will also be completely stopped.
Why did the government take this strict step?
This masterstroke by the government is primarily to stop the rampant misuse of subsidies. According to information received from the Petroleum Ministry, making biometric authentication mandatory will ensure that the subsidy money received from the government treasury reaches only the genuine and needy families. With this, the game of duplicate and fake gas connections will end forever and black marketing of subsidized cylinders in hotels and factories will be curbed.
Who does not have to undergo re-verification?
If you have a question in your mind whether this rule applies to you too, then the matter of relief is that the consumers who have already got their biometric authentication done, there is no need to do this problem again. According to data from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, as of September 19, about 27.43 crore active domestic LPG customers in the country have successfully completed their biometric verification. This new rule is scary or necessary only for those people whose verification is still pending.
Easy ways to complete biometric authentication
The government has made this process very easy for the general public, so that no one faces any problem. You can complete your verification by choosing any of the 3 easy methods given below:
- At the time of cylinder delivery: Whenever the delivery boy comes to your house to deliver the gas cylinder, you can complete this process by immediately getting your thumb or finger impression through his machine or device.
- By visiting the Gas Agency Showroom: You can also get your Aadhaar verification done by directly visiting the office of your respective gas agency (Indane, Bharat Gas or HP).
- Sitting at home through mobile app: By downloading the official mobile apps of oil companies (like IndianOil ONE, HelloBPCL, or HP PAY), you can complete biometric authentication from home using your smartphone.
New and updated numbers of LPG companies
The country's three major gas companies—Indane, Bharat Gas and HP Gas—have issued new booking numbers for their customers and have also strictly implemented the Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system.
Indane Gas (Indane Gas – IndianOil)
- IVRS/Refill Booking Number: 7718955555
- Missed-call booking number: 8454955555
- WhatsApp Booking Number: 7588888824 (Send 'REFILL' from registered number)
- Toll-free helpline: 1800-2333-555
Bharat Gas (Bharat Gas – BPCL)
- Refill Booking Number: 7715012345 or 7718012345
- Missed-caller booking number: 7710955555
- Toll-free helpline: 1800-22-4344
HP Gas (HP Gas – HPCL)
- HP Anytime/Refill Booking Number: 9493602222
- Missed-call booking number: 9493602222
- Toll-free helpline: 1800-233-3555
2 most important rules related to booking and delivery
Now ordering gas has become a little more difficult than before. Cylinder booking will be accepted only from the mobile number which is registered with your gas agency. If you make a missed call or SMS from an unregistered number, consider the booking as cancelled.
Additionally, as soon as your cylinder is booked, a 4 or 6 digit Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) will be sent to your phone. When the delivery man reaches your home with the cylinder, you will have to tell him this code. The delivery person will enter this code in his app, only then your delivery will be considered successful, otherwise the cylinder can be returned.