IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL are private-sector-listed companies. Are they RTI-applicable?

Yes. IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL are Central Government public sector undertakings (PSUs) — they are not purely private companies. The Government of India holds majority shareholding in all three. The Supreme Court in Thalappalam Ser. Coop. Bank v. State of Kerala (2013) and earlier CIC decisions have confirmed that companies substantially financed or controlled by the Government are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL have all designated CPIOs and comply with RTI. File your RTI with the relevant company's state office or divisional office through rtionline.gov.in, selecting Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the specific company. Second appeal for all three goes to the CIC.

My LPG subsidy stopped appearing in my bank account. What RTI questions identify the cause?

LPG subsidy is transferred via PAHAL (DBTL) scheme — Direct Benefit Transfer in LPG. The subsidy goes to the Aadhaar-linked bank account after each refill. Common reasons subsidy stops: (1) Aadhaar seeding in the bank account was removed or expired; (2) the consumer was flagged for the 'Give It Up' scheme (voluntary surrender of subsidy) — sometimes applied incorrectly; (3) the Aadhaar-consumer number linkage was broken; (4) the consumer's income exceeded the ceiling (though the cap has been removed for most consumers); (5) the NPCI Aadhaar-bank mapping was updated to a different bank. Through RTI, ask for: (1) the Aadhaar-bank seeding status for Consumer No. [XXX]; (2) whether a Give It Up surrender is recorded and the date it was applied; (3) the subsidy transfer record for the last 12 months — amount, date, and reason for any missed transfer. This identifies the specific cause so you can approach the distributor or company helpline with a precise correction request.

I applied for PM Ujjwala Yojana but my application was rejected. How can RTI help?

PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) provides free LPG connections to women from BPL, SC/ST, PMAY, and other identified households. Eligibility is verified against state BPL lists, the SECC database, and other Central Government lists. If rejected, RTI can confirm: (1) the specific reason for rejection — whether the household was not found in any PMUY-eligible database, whether a prior LPG connection was found in the household, or whether documentation was deficient; (2) whether the household's name appears in the SECC 2011 or the state BPL list held by the oil company; (3) whether any correction application or resubmission has been received after the initial rejection. If the rejection was due to incorrect data (e.g., a prior connection wrongly attributed to the household), the RTI response identifies this — allowing a correction application with the right evidence.

My LPG distributor demands extra money or refuses to deliver. Can RTI help me take action against them?

Yes. LPG distributors operate under a dealership agreement with the oil company and are bound by the LPG (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order and the company's distribution guidelines. Demand for gratification, refusal to deliver, or irregular distribution are violations of the dealership terms. RTI to the state office of the relevant oil company can: (1) confirm whether any complaint has been received against the distributor and the action taken; (2) obtain the prescribed delivery timeline standard and whether the distributor is meeting it; (3) confirm whether the distributor is under any show-cause or penalty. With this information, file a formal complaint with the State Food and Civil Supplies Controller (for PDS LPG) or directly with the oil company's nodal officer under the CPGRAMS system. The RTI response confirming prior complaints and inaction creates the pressure for escalation.

What if IOCL, BPCL, or HPCL does not respond to my RTI within 30 days?

File a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the relevant company (IOCL / BPCL / HPCL state office) within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days. IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL are Central Government PSUs under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas — second appeal always goes to the CIC.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI for LPG Connection, Ujjwala Yojana and Subsidy — IOCL, BPCL, HPCL

Central Government

How to File RTI for LPG Connection, Ujjwala Yojana and Subsidy — IOCL, BPCL, HPCL

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), or Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) for LPG new connection delays, PM Ujjwala Yojana application status, LPG subsidy not credited, cylinder booking refusal, and distributor complaints. Covers RTI directly with the oil PSU as a public authority. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryMinistry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Address RTI ToCPIO of the relevant State Office / Divisional Office of IOCL / BPCL / HPCL

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rtionline.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) are the three Central Government public sector undertakings that distribute domestic LPG (cooking gas) in India. They also implement the PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) — which provides subsidised LPG connections to BPL and other eligible households — and the PAHAL (DBTL) scheme for direct subsidy transfers.

All three companies are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, because the Government of India holds a majority stake in each.

Which Company to RTI

Domestic LPG consumers are registered with one of the three companies depending on which company issued their connection. Your consumer number's prefix typically identifies the company:

Company	Consumer Number Prefix	RTI Selection on rtionline.gov.in
IOCL (IndanGas / IndianOil)	Usually starts with IO prefix or no prefix in some states	Ministry of Petroleum → Indian Oil Corporation Ltd
BPCL (Bharatgas)	Usually starts with BP prefix	Ministry of Petroleum → Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd
HPCL (HP Gas)	Usually starts with HP prefix	Ministry of Petroleum → Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd

Your connection booklet, last invoice, or the cylinder's sticker shows the company name.

PM Ujjwala Yojana: Eligibility Categories

PMUY connections are available to women who are:

Listed in the SECC 2011 as BPL (Below Poverty Line)
Beneficiaries of PMAY (Gramin or Urban)
SC/ST households
Most Backward Classes (MBC) as notified
Tea and ex-tea garden workers (Assam, West Bengal)
Forest dwellers
Residents of islands / river islands (PVTG areas)

If rejected, RTI can confirm which category check failed and whether the data used was correct.

What Can You Achieve with RTI?

Confirm whether a PM Ujjwala application was received and the specific eligibility criterion cited for rejection
Get the LPG subsidy transfer record (PAHAL/DBTL) for each month and identify why a specific month's subsidy was not credited
Confirm whether a Give It Up subsidy surrender was wrongly applied to your consumer account
Get distributor complaint records and action taken by the oil company
Obtain the prescribed delivery standards and check whether your distributor is complying

Where to File

File on rtionline.gov.in:

Select Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas → Indian Oil Corporation Ltd / Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd / Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (as applicable)
Select the State Office or Divisional Office covering your area
Include your consumer number, distributor name/code, and Aadhaar last 4 digits
Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt
Submit and note your registration number

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

New connection / Ujjwala:

Status of LPG / PMUY application Ref. No. XXX — stage and reason for delay or rejection
PMUY eligibility basis — which database was checked and the result; if excluded, the specific criterion not met

Subsidy: 3. PAHAL subsidy transfer record for Consumer No. XXX from Month/Year to Month/Year — amount, date, and reason for any missed month 4. Whether a Give It Up surrender is recorded against Consumer No. XXX — date applied and mode

Distributor complaints: 5. Complaints received against distributor Name/Code in the last two years — nature and action taken 6. Prescribed delivery timeline and whether the distributor has been meeting it

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the FAA at the relevant oil company's state office within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): File with the Central Information Commission (CIC) within 90 days. IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL are Central Government PSUs — second appeal is CIC, not any State Information Commission.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO),
[Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) / Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) / Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)],
[State Office / Divisional Office Address]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — LPG Connection / PM Ujjwala Yojana Application Status / Subsidy Non-Credit

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], residing at [Your Full Address], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

LPG / Ujjwala details:
  LPG Consumer Number / BP/HP/IO Consumer No. (if existing): [Consumer No.]
  Distributor Name and Code: [Distributor Name, Code]
  Application / Reference Number (for new connection or Ujjwala): [Reference No.]
  Aadhaar Number (last 4 digits): [XXXX]
  Bank Account Number linked for subsidy (last 4 digits): [XXXX]
  State and District: [Name]

Information sought:

1. [For new LPG connection / Ujjwala] The current status of the LPG domestic connection / PM Ujjwala Yojana application bearing Reference No. [XXX], submitted on [DD/MM/YYYY] — whether the connection has been issued, is pending, or has been rejected; if pending, the specific reason; if rejected, the eligibility criterion under the PM Ujjwala scheme guidelines on which rejection is based.

2. Whether the above applicant is listed as an eligible beneficiary under PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) — specifically whether the applicant's household was identified as BPL / Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe / PMAY beneficiary / other PMUY-eligible category, and if excluded, the reason.

3. [For subsidy non-credit] The record of LPG subsidy transfers to Consumer No. [XXX] / Aadhaar [last 4 digits] for each month from [Month/Year] to [Month/Year] — the date and amount of each transfer, and for any month in which subsidy was not transferred, the specific reason (e.g., Aadhaar not seeded, bank account mismatch, consumer gave up subsidy, DBT failure).

4. Whether a Give It Up (voluntary LPG subsidy surrender) has been registered against Consumer No. [XXX] — if yes, the date and the mode through which the surrender was recorded; if the consumer did not surrender, whether a surrender was wrongly applied.

5. [For distributor complaint] Whether any complaint has been received against LPG distributor [Name, Code] in [District] in the last two years — the nature of complaints and the action taken. Whether the distributor is currently operating under any show-cause notice or penalty for irregular distribution or demand for gratification.

6. The prescribed delivery timeline for a domestic LPG cylinder after a booking and whether the distributor [Name] has been meeting this standard in the last six months per the company's records.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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