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State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) have begun sending messages to LPG consumers whose gross taxable income—or that of a linked family member—exceeds ₹10 lakh, warning that their cooking gas subsidy may be discontinued unless they respond within seven days. The notices, issued under a directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, cite income tax data and instruct consumers to dispute the information via a toll-free number or company portal.
Subsidized LPG customers who are not in the income tax bracket and have Aadhaar linked to their bank accounts currently receive ₹24.50 per cylinder. The message states that failure to respond within the stipulated period will result in subsidy withdrawal, a move aimed at reducing the government's subsidy burden. A distributor confirmed the campaign began after recent KYC submissions, leading to confusion among consumers.
A Velachery resident said he was unaware of the message's context and found the ₹24.50 subsidy too small to justify scrutiny of personal tax records. Consumer activist T. Sadagopan criticized the use of income tax data as a privacy violation and noted the lack of transparency on subsidy opt-outs, adding that the amount has remained unchanged since being reduced during the lockdown.
An oil industry source confirmed the messaging drive is part of a centralized effort by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Consumers who do not respond within seven days will have their subsidies discontinued, with OMCs expected to review appeals and update beneficiary status in the coming weeks.