Oil firms’ LPG subsidy warning sparks confusion among consumers

Bengaluru: Oil marketing companies (OMCs) have begun issuing warning messages to LPG consumers, stating that cooking gas subsidies could be discontinued for households where the annual taxable income of either the consumer or any family member exceeds Rs 10 lakh.

The push comes as OMCs officially begin verifying LPG subsidies based on income-tax records. Consumers outside the income-tax bracket who have their Aadhaar linked to their bank accounts receive a subsidy of Rs 24.5 per cylinder booked.

Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum are among the OMCs sharing the message.

"Dear LPG consumer, as per available income tax records, your (or a linked family member's) gross taxable income exceeds the prescribed limit of Rs 10 lakh. If you wish to dispute this, please contact the toll-free number 1800-2333-555 or register your grievance on the portal of your respective Oil Marketing Company within seven days of receipt of this message. If no response is received within the stipulated period, your LPG subsidy may be discontinued thereafter," the message reads.

The verification process is linked to income-tax records, with oil companies cross-checking consumer details against government databases to streamline subsidy disbursement.

The move has received a mixed response from citizens.

"The message annoyed me as it was a reminder that it was regarding a measly sum of Rs 24.5. Before the Covid pandemic, the subsidy used to be much higher. It was reduced during the lockdowns and has not been revised. What is the point of giving such a low subsidy to those who really need it?" said Nivedha B, a Malleswaram resident.

The message also confused many consumers, leading them to reach out to their authorised cooking gas providers.

"I was worried if this was a scam of some type or a data privacy breach," said Saria Syeda, an RT Nagar resident.

The OMCs have also introduced a Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system to prevent unauthorised deliveries and improve transparency in the distribution network. Consumers have been cautioned against fraudulent messages and phone calls seeking OTPs or authentication codes under the guise of LPG delivery verification.