One of the defining characteristics of mature consumer markets is not simply the abundance of products, but the quality of consumer decision-making. Across sectors, rising financial awareness, easier access to information and digital discovery are changing what people choose to buy and how they
Imagine reaching retirement with a bond portfolio that works like a staircase. One bond matures this year, another next year, and another the year after, giving you access to money at different points instead of having to unlock the entire investment at once
Augmont Enterprises IPO Day 2: The initial public offering (IPO) of integrated gold and silver platform Augmont Enterprises Ltd is witnessing its second day of bidding today, August 24. So far, the public issue has been subscribed 2.88 times. The Rs 825-crore IPO
Gold prices remain high in India; check 22K, 24K rates in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru International gold prices also climbed to a more than three-month high on Monday. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:46:24 IST By HT News Desk Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Gold prices remained high in India on
Businesses from India and the U.S. have expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh and made proposals to improve the country's investment climate, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has said. Mr. Muktadir’s remarks on Saturday (August 22
From UPI To ATM, PAN To FASTag: Key Money Rules Changing From April 1
From UPI To ATM, PAN To FASTag: Key Money Rules Changing From April 1
Here’s a detailed look at what changes from the new fiscal:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made two-factor authentication (2FA) mandatory across UPI and card-based transactions from today, April 1, to strengthen fraud prevention systems.
The RBI, through its notification dated September 25, 2025, defined the factor of authentication as the customer’s credentials, which can be used for authentication. It added that the factors of authentication can be from “something the user has", “something the user knows" or “something the user is".
The central bank listed down new payment authentication methods, including SMS-based OTP, password, PIN, fingerprint, passphrase, software token, card hardware, or any other form of biometrics (device native or Aadhaar-based).
The Indian Railways has revised its refund policy, significantly narrowing the window for cancellations.
Passengers cancelling tickets within 8 hours of departure will now get no refund, compared to the earlier 4-hour limit. For other cases, deductions have been rationalised:
Cancellations between 8 and 24 hours before departure will attract a 50% deduction. Between 24 and 72 hours, 25% of the fare will be deducted. Beyond 72 hours, existing cancellation rules will apply.
The National Highways Authority of India has revised the FASTag annual pass fee for FY27, effective today, April 1. The fee has been revised upward by Rs 75 to Rs 3,075, compared with Rs 3,000 earlier, as part of the authority’s annual toll rationalisation exercise under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.
The pass, meant for non-commercial private vehicles, will continue to offer validity for one year or up to 200 trips, whichever is earlier, and can be used across national highways and expressways.
PAN-related compliance is being tightened from the new financial year. Applicants will now have to use updated PAN forms and provide additional documentation beyond Aadhaar as proof of date of birth. More significantly, quoting PAN will now be mandatory for applying for a credit card.
Banks will not issue new cards without PAN, and existing users will need to link their cards to PAN, reinforcing its role as a key financial identifier.
Under new norms, the RBI will allow regulated entities, including banks and NBFCs, to extend loans against silver jewellery, ornaments and coins.
This comes under the ‘Lending Against Gold and Silver Collateral Directions, 2025’, expanding the scope of secured lending beyond gold.
Banks have revised ATM usage rules, tightening free transaction limits and increasing charges beyond thresholds. At HDFC Bank, UPI-based ATM withdrawals will now be counted within the monthly free limit, with charges applicable beyond five transactions.
Bandhan Bank will allow three free ATM transactions in metro cities and five in non-metros, after which charges will apply. It will also levy penalties on failed transactions due to insufficient balance.
Punjab National Bank has revised withdrawal limits for select debit cards, bringing them down to a range of Rs 50,000-Rs 75,000 depending on the variant.
Cardholders will also see changes in rewards and fee structures.
At Axis Bank, cashback on select co-branded cards will be restructured, with some benefits routed through partner wallets and lounge access benefits withdrawn. YES Bank has revised charges on utility and transport spends, introducing fees beyond specified monthly thresholds, with caps on per-transaction charges.
The implementation of new labour codes could alter salary structures, with employers required to allocate at least 50% of total compensation as basic wages.
This may lead to lower take-home pay but higher contributions toward provident fund and retirement benefits.
Source: News18
Related Posts: financial rules changes April 1 2026, RBI two factor authentication, UPI security rules, Indian Railways refund policy, FASTag annual pass fee, PAN credit card linking
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