New Rules from 1 January 2026: With the beginning of the new year 2026, there have been changes in many important rules related to the everyday life of common people, which will have a direct impact on the pockets. These changes include everything from LPG gas prices to car prices, banking rules, UPI, SIM verification and government schemes. While on one hand the new year has brought new expectations, on the other hand expenses have also increased due to some decisions.
lpg cylinder expensive
First of all, talking about LPG cylinder, the price of 19 kg commercial gas cylinder has been increased by Rs 111 from January 1, 2026. In Delhi, the price of this cylinder has now increased from Rs 1580.50 to Rs 1691.50. In Kolkata its price has increased from Rs 1684 to Rs 1795, in Chennai it has increased from Rs 1739.50 to Rs 1849.50 and in Mumbai it has increased from Rs 1531.50 to Rs 1642.50. Due to this, the costs of hotels, restaurants and small businessmen are likely to increase.
On the beginning of the new year, Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has given relief to its consumers. The company has announced a reduction in the prices of domestic piped natural gas (PNG) by up to 70 paise per standard cubic meter. After this cut, the new price of PNG in the national capital Delhi has come down to Rs 47.89 per SCM.
This decision will especially benefit urban households, where a large number of people use PNG for cooking. This reduction in gas prices amid rising inflation can prove helpful in reducing the burden on the domestic budget and is being considered as a positive beginning of the new year for consumers.
car becomes expensive
With the new year, buying a car has also become expensive. From January 1, 2026, many auto companies have increased the prices of their vehicles. BMW, Renault and Nissan have announced to increase the prices of their vehicles by Rs 3,000 to three percent. At the same time, Honda and Tata Motors have also indicated about increasing the prices, due to which the 2026 model cars may be more expensive than last year.
Changes related to FD, UPI and SIM
Changes in the rules related to banking and digital payments have also come into effect. From January 1, 2026, the rules for UPI and other digital transactions have been made more stringent than before, so that online fraud can be curbed. Along with this, the process of verification of SIM card has also been tightened. It is a matter of relief that many banks including HDFC Bank, SBI and PNB have announced reduction in loan interest rates, which has become effective from the new year.
PM Kisan Yojana
Apart from this, some important changes have also been made in PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. In states like Uttar Pradesh, now Unique Farmer ID has been made mandatory to avail the benefits of the scheme. Also, if crops are damaged by wild animals and a report is filed within 72 hours, now that loss can also be compensated under the scheme.
Eighth Pay Commission
The new year has proved to be important for central employees and pensioners regarding the Eighth Pay Commission. The tenure of the Seventh Pay Commission ended on 31 December 2025, after which the Eighth Pay Commission has been formally implemented from 1 January 2026. This was being awaited for a long time, because there was hope of increase in salary and pension associated with it.
However, according to experts, at present its impact will be limited only to the paper process. This means that the record of the increased salary and allowances of the employees will be prepared, but it may take some time to get the actual increased salary and arrears. Only after the government issues the final notification regarding the new pay structure, fitment factor and allowances, its benefits will be available directly to the employees and pensioners. In such a situation, everyone will have to be prepared to wait a little longer.
Overall, while these changes implemented from January 1, 2026 have brought relief in some cases, the expenses of the common man are going to increase on many fronts. In such a situation, with the beginning of the new year, it has become very important to understand these rules and make financial plans accordingly.
Also read: Despite challenges, Indian economy can maintain strong growth in 2026, RBI report confirms

