Hyderabad: Central government intensified income verification to stop LPG subsidy benefits for families earning above ₹10 lakh annually. Officials said oil marketing companies began cross-checking data with the Income Tax Department.
Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum used PAN card details to verify annual income. They prepared lists of consumers who crossed the income threshold. Moreover, authorities strengthened monitoring to ensure accurate identification.
Officials confirmed that the rule has existed since December 2015. Earlier, consumers voluntarily surrendered subsidies. However, the government now implemented a structured verification process. Therefore, companies directly assess income records.
LPG subsidy verification uses IT and PAN data
Under the revised system, authorities will consider the income of both the connection holder and the spouse. If either person earns more than ₹10 lakh per year, the family will lose LPG subsidy eligibility.
Thousands of consumers received SMS alerts about income verification. The messages state that officials detected higher income through IT records. Consumers must respond within seven days if they have objections. Otherwise, authorities will discontinue the subsidy.
Officials said the step will reduce subsidy expenditure. They added that savings may support welfare programmes. In addition, the government aims to improve targeting of benefits.
The government clarified that poor families will remain protected. It also exempted beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. These households will continue to receive LPG subsidy support.
Consumers who believe they received notices in error can contact their gas agency. They may also file complaints through the official grievance portal. Authorities advised citizens to verify details before responding.
