Railway employees and pensioners will receive higher payouts after the Railway Board revised DA and DR to 60% under the 7th Pay Commission. The hike follows the Union Cabinet’s decision to approve an additional 2-percentage-point increase to help offset the impact of inflation and rising living costs.
Global banks and regulators are accelerating efforts to build a 24/7 digital financial system powered by stablecoins, CBDCs, and tokenised deposits. A new Deutsche Bank report says these emerging forms of digital money could transform cross-border payments, settlements, and the future of instant banking.
EPFO subscribers may soon get faster access to their provident fund money through ATMs and UPI under the proposed EPFO 3.0 framework. The upgrade is expected to simplify PF withdrawals, reduce paperwork, and speed up claim processing for millions of members.
With the integration now live, Federal Bank customers can securely process EPFO payments online without visiting physical offices.
Several salary-related tax exemptions in India still operate on decades-old limits despite rising inflation and sharply higher living costs, according to CA Nitin Kaushik. From ₹100 education allowance to ₹50 meal exemptions, many salaried employees are paying tax on expenses that far exceed outdated tax-free thresholds.
Flipkart, Axis Bank, and PayU have launched biometric authentication for card payments, enabling users to approve transactions using fingerprint or facial recognition. The move signals a broader shift away from OTP-based verification toward faster, device-based, and more secure payment systems in India.
The RBI’s updated auto-debit (e-mandate) rules aim to make recurring payments smoother while strengthening user control and security. From UPI to cards, here’s how the new framework changes OTP limits, alerts, and payment flexibility.
India’s new labour codes, effective April 2026, are set to reshape how employees earn, save, and take leave. From overtime pay to PF contributions and leave rules, here’s what these changes mean in practice.
A new set of financial rules comes into effect from May 1, 2026, impacting LPG prices, credit cards, banking transactions, and tax compliance. The changes aim to tighten transparency, improve security, and reshape how individuals transact, spend, and report finances.
The 8th Pay Commission has commenced formal consultations with employee representatives, with the Staff Side (NC-JCM) presenting a 10-point charter covering pay, pension, and service reforms. In a parallel move, the Commission has extended the deadline for stakeholder submissions to May 31, 2026, to widen participation.
The portal, called E-PRAAPTI, will use Aadhaar-based authentication to enable members to access old EPF accounts, update their profiles, and complete UAN linking and activation.
EPFO to launch E-PRAAPTI portal to facilitate identification, tracking, UAN linking and activation of old EPF accounts
The Centre is evaluating a long-pending proposal to raise the minimum pension under EPS-95, with pressure mounting to increase the current ₹1,000 payout. The move comes alongside broader EPFO reforms, including faster claim settlements, interest credits, and easier fund access.
The 8th Pay Commission could inject ₹7–8 lakh crore into the economy, factoring in central and state-level revisions. Around 50 lakh employees and 65–70 lakh pensioners may benefit, with states likely to follow for ~80 lakh staff.
Flipkart, Axis Bank and PayU have introduced biometric authentication for card payments, replacing OTPs with fingerprint and Face ID approvals. The move aims to make digital transactions faster, more secure, and less prone to failures or fraud.
8th Pay Commission: There is considerable excitement over the award of higher salaries to central government employees by the Eighth Pay Commission. The process is not simple and will take more than a year to be implemented.
The Commission said meetings will be scheduled with the maximum possible number of unions and associations, but some requests may not be accommodated due to time constraints
One of the biggest risks, he notes, is undisclosed liabilities. Such financial baggage can directly impact a couple’s ability to secure loans or maintain financial stability.
Under the new wage framework, the biggest shift is in how salaries are composed rather than how much employees earn overall. Basic pay, along with dearness allowance (DA) and retention allowance, must now make up at least 50% of the total CTC, compared to the earlier range of roughly 30–37%.
India’s new wage rules promise double overtime pay and stricter compliance from April 2026. However, changes in salary structure could impact monthly take-home pay while boosting long-term savings.
Employee unions and teacher bodies have put forward aggressive demands ahead of the 8th Pay Commission, seeking sharp salary hikes, higher allowances, and pension reforms. Proposals range from ₹50,000 minimum pay to a four-fold jump to ₹72,000, along with structural changes in benefits.




