From PAN Card To ATM Card: These Seven Things Change From Today

New Delhi: December is here and we are almost at the end of 2018. Before this year ends a lot of major changes have been announced. Some of these changes will be effective from today (December 1) onwards while some have already come into effect. Some of these changes will directly impact your finances and banking and life.

SBI Net banking: State Bank of India issued a notification last month which stated that SBI users have not yet registered their mobile number with the bank will not be able to access mobile banking and net banking from December 1. If any SBI users failed to register their number with the bank by November 2018, their net banking and mobile banking access will be blocked from today onwards. In order to access their net banking account, customers will have to register their mobile number by going to the bank branch.

ATM card: As per RBI directive, magstripe debit cards have to be replaced with EMV chip-based cards by the end of this year, irrespective of the magstripe card’s validity. The aim is to reduce banking frauds since magstripe cards are easier for fraudsters to target. Following December 31, all magstripe cards will become non-functional.

Drone Licence Registration: Drone enthusiasts and flyers will have to take licences for flying drones in the country and the registration for the same will begin today. Users will have to complete the registration process following which they will get a unique identification number (UIN) which will allow them to operate drones in the country from January 1 next year. For every flight, users will have to ask for permission to fly the drone through a mobile app, and an automated process will tell them whether their request is permitted or denied.

PAN card: The Income Tax department also made it optional for individual taxpayers to furnish their father’s name in PAN card application form of applicants with single parents, which was mandatory before. This new rule will be implemented from December 5. In case the applicant’s father has passed away or separated, they can choose whether or not they want to mention their father’s name in their application form. In cases where the mother is a single parent or the applicant wants to name only the mother, she will be given an option in the application form.

e-PAN card Service: In case you do not have a PAN card yet or have to make any changes to your pan card, or in case your PAN card is delayed, you can generate e-PAN by visiting the Income Tax Department’s website (https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/home). There will be no need for any other document or money to generate e-pans. This feature is only available for a short time and will be closed later.

Life certificate for Pensioners: State Bank of India informed its pension account holders that if they want to keep their pension account open, they have to submit their life certificates till November 30. In case customers failed to submit their life certificates by November 30, their pension money will not be deposited in their account from today onwards.

SBI’s Buddy mobile app: SBI will shut down its Buddy mobile app today. Anyone user who as money in their wallet in Buddy app is advised to withdraw their money. SBI will replace the Buddy app with SBI Yono app and customers can access the wallet service from the new app from December 1 onwards. (TNN)