New Delhi: Major financial and regulatory changes came into force on October 1, affecting IRCTC ticketing, India Post’s Speed Post, the National Pension System (NPS), and key banking services.

The Indian Railways has introduced Aadhaar-based authentication for general ticket bookings on IRCTC during the first 15 minutes of opening to curb misuse by agents. India Post has revised Speed Post tariffs and launched an OTP-based delivery system to enhance package security.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has revised Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) fees under NPS and now permits non-government subscribers to invest up to 100 per cent in equities.

In the private banking sector, HDFC Bank has updated eligibility norms for its Imperia premium clients, requiring revised Total Relationship Value (TRV) criteria. Public sector lender Punjab National Bank (PNB) has hiked locker rents and service charges.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced fresh guidelines for small business loans, allowing banks to reduce spread components earlier than the previous three-year limit. Borrowers can also switch to fixed-rate loans during resets. Additionally, scheduled commercial banks and co-operative banks in Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities can now extend working capital loans to jewellers and industries using gold as raw material.