Caller name display, pension life certificates, LPG rates: rule changes from November 1

October is ending and a new month begins on November 1. With it, several rules touching the everyday life and pockets of ordinary people are set to change, from LPG cylinder prices to mobile calling and rules for pensioners.

On mobile calls, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed all telecom companies to introduce the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service from November 1. Under it, the caller's real name and number will appear on incoming calls on a mobile phone. The service will apply on 4G and 5G networks. It is expected to give considerable relief from fraudsters and spam calls.

For pensioners, ordinary government pensioners must submit their life certificate between November 1 and November 30. If the certificate is not submitted in time, the pension can be stopped. For senior citizens above 80 years of age, this facility has been available since October 1. Pensioners can also submit the certificate easily from home through a mobile phone.

LPG cylinder prices also change on the first of every month, and the state-run oil companies fix them afresh. New prices for both domestic and commercial cylinders will be released on November 1. Crude oil prices have risen over the past few days, and a change in the price of commercial cylinders is considered likely.

On taxes, steps are being taken to make return filing easier for taxpayers, in line with a GST Council recommendation. Moves to automate the tax refund process have also begun. For taxpayers who need a tax audit, the last date for filing the ITR for financial year 2025-26 has been extended to November 21, 2026.

Changes are also expected in mutual fund and fixed deposit (FD) rules. Under new SEBI rules, direct mutual fund plans are likely to be added as a default option on digital platforms. This would make it easier for investors to understand the cost of regular plans. Banks may also change fixed deposit interest rates as needed.