Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 16: Amidst a growing fuel crisis triggered by the West Asia conflict, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) on March 15 mandated biometric Aadhaar authentication (e-KYC) for all domestic LPG consumers across the country.

The ministry announced via its official social media handle that the move is designed to streamline supply and ensure that subsidized fuel reaches the intended beneficiaries. This development comes at a time when India is grappling with a significant disruption in LPG imports due to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route that handles approximately 90% of India's LPG imports.

Representational image

Home-based verification

To facilitate a smooth process, the ministry has clarified that consumers do not necessarily need to visit dealerships. The authentication can be completed from the comfort of one’s home using the respective Oil Marketing Company’s (OMC) mobile application in conjunction with the Aadhaar FaceRD app. For those unable to use digital tools, local LPG distributors remain the point of contact for manual verification.

Panic buying and commercial impact

The supply concerns have triggered panic buying in several regions, leading to a perceived shortage of cylinders. While households are the primary focus of the new mandate, the commercial sector is currently the hardest hit.

Restaurants and street food vendors, who rely almost entirely on 19 kg commercial LPG cylinders, are scrambling for alternatives. High-volume cooking equipment such as industrial ovens, grills, and fryers have been rendered idle in many establishments. While larger restaurant chains are managing with limited capacity, several smaller outlets in the coastal and urban belts have been forced to shut down temporarily.

The government has urged the public to avoid hoarding and stated that the e-KYC process is a step toward better resource management during this period of geopolitical instability.