As India rings in 2026, major financial shifts have officially taken effect. The most critical change is the deactivation of unlinked PAN cards. As of today, January 1, any PAN not linked to an Aadhaar card is considered inoperative, blocking tax filings, refunds, and high-value banking transactions.
There is good news for central government employees as the 8th Pay Commission period begins today, following the conclusion of the 7th Commission. While actual salary hikes may take time to reflect, arrears will be calculated from this date.
Other key changes include:
Weekly Credit Updates: Borrowers will see credit scores updated every week instead of fortnightly.
LPG Relief: Domestic gas prices have seen a welcome dip of ₹30–40 due to cooling crude oil prices.
Digital Security: Mandatory SIM-based verification for apps like WhatsApp is now in force.
Kisan IDs: Mandatory digital IDs for PM-Kisan beneficiaries in several states now link land records to payments.