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HDFC Bank Changes Debit Card Lounge Access Rules From Today: What Cardholders Must Know

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HDFC Bank Changes Debit Card Lounge Access Rules From Today: What Cardholders Must Know


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HDFC Bank now offers airport lounge access via digital vouchers for debit cards, with a doubled Rs 10,000 quarterly spend. Physical card swipes are discontinued.

HDFC Bank Doubles Spend Requirement for Complimentary Lounge Access

HDFC Bank Doubles Spend Requirement for Complimentary Lounge Access

HDFC Bank Airport Lounge Access Rules 2026: HDFC Bank has revised the rules for complimentary airport lounge access on its debit cards, shifting to a voucher-based access system and increasing the minimum spending requirement. The changes have come into effect from today, January 10.

Until now, eligible debit cardholders could enter airport lounges by swiping their physical card. Under the new system, lounge access will be granted only through digital vouchers, issued to customers who meet the spending criteria.

Once eligibility is confirmed, the bank will send an SMS or email with a link to claim the voucher. Customers will need to complete OTP verification using their registered mobile number. After successful verification, a voucher code or QR code will be issued, which must be shown at the lounge for entry.

Minimum Spend Doubled For Most Cards

HDFC Bank has doubled the quarterly spend requirement for complimentary lounge access on most debit cards.

Customers must now spend Rs 10,000 or more per calendar quarter from Rs 5,000 earlier. The spend can be through single or multiple transactions, online or offline. The revised spending condition does not apply to the Infiniti Debit Card, which continues to offer lounge access without any minimum spend.

Complimentary Lounge Visits Remain Unchanged

The number of free lounge visits will continue to depend on the debit card variant:

Millennia Debit Card: 1 visit per quarter

Platinum Debit Card: 2 visits per quarter

Times Points Debit Card: 1 visit per quarter

Business Debit Card: 2 visits per quarter

GIGA Debit Card: 1 visit per quarter

Infiniti Debit Card: 4 visits per quarter

Only purchase transactions made using the debit card will count toward the quarterly spend. The following are excluded, Moneycontrol noted:

ATM Cash Withdrawals

  • UPI or wallet payments (GPay, PhonePe, Paytm, etc.)
  • Credit card bill payments via debit card
  • Debit card EMI transactions
  • New debit cardholders will also need to meet the Rs 10,000 spend threshold to become eligible.

Voucher Validity And Lounge Rules

Once issued, lounge vouchers will remain valid until the end of the next calendar quarter.

For instance:

Voucher generated on November 15, 2025 → valid till March 31, 2026

Voucher generated on January 10, 2026 → valid till June 30, 2026

Lounge access will continue on a first-come, first-served basis, with lounges retaining the right to impose stay limits—typically two to three hours—or deny entry due to operational, safety or regulatory reasons.

What this means For Customers

HDFC Bank’s updated lounge access programme places greater emphasis on higher card usage and digital verification. Customers who rely on complimentary lounge benefits will need to closely track their quarterly spending and note that physical debit card swipes will no longer work from January 10.

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EV adoptions gathers pace in 2025: Sales hit 2.3 million units; UP, Maharashtra lead sales – The Times of India

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EV adoptions gathers pace in 2025: Sales hit 2.3 million units; UP, Maharashtra lead sales – The Times of India


India sold were at 2.3 million units of electric vehicle in 2025, making up 8 per cent of all new vehicle registrations, according to a new report by the India Energy Storage Alliance, based on Vahan Portal data, cited by ANI. This boost was driven by incentives offered by the government and festive seasons. The majority portion of the sales were two-wheelers at 1.28 million units.The total registrations recorded in the overall passenger car market in the year 2025 stood at 28.2 million. Two-wheelers marked the most registrations 20 million registrations, while passenger cars were at 4.4 million and agricultural vehicles recorded 1.06 million. The recorded sales rose steadily throughout the year though slightly improved in the festival seasons due to GST benefits.Electric two-wheelers were the stars of the EV market, grabbing 57 per cent of sales. Three-wheelers came second with 0.8 million units (35 per cent), while four-wheelers logged 175,000 units. The report spotted good progress in electric delivery vehicles, especially in smaller commercial segments.Uttar Pradesh was at the forefront in this, with 400,000 units sold, taking an 18 percent market share in India’s EV segment. Maharashtra followed, with 266,000 units sold, contributing 12 percent to the segment, followed by Karnataka, with 200,000 units sold, contributing 9 percent to the market. The three accounted for over 40 percent in the country’s EV sales.Some smaller states recorded a very encouraging uptake of EVs. Delhi, Kerala, and Goa were able to reach an EV-to-ICE ratio of 14 percent, 12 percent, and 11 percent respectively. Meanwhile, states from the Northeast, Tripura, and Assam, achieved ratios of 18 percent and 14 percent, respectively.A major achievement was recorded in the three-wheeler segment, which attained a market penetration of 32 per cent. The government also created a record with their biggest ever order of electric buses—10,900 unit—valued at a massive Rs 10,900 crore through the PM E-DRIVE scheme.The report also stated that that while smaller vehicles led EV adoption, government efforts to electrify larger commercial vehicles and develop charging infrastructure were setting up India’s EV sector for continued growth beyond 2025.



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PTA warns consumers against fake calls and UAN numbers, reason revealed – SUCH TV

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PTA warns consumers against fake calls and UAN numbers, reason revealed – SUCH TV



Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has warned users against fake calls and UAN numbers.

A video message released by PTA states that scammers are impersonating PTA, FIA, and banks to steal your personal and financial information. No government agency will ever ask you for OTP, PIN, identity card or biometrics over a call or message. Mobile users should be vigilant and verify only through official channels.

It should be noted that earlier, PTA had warned users in a statement that using a SIM registered in the name of another person is a violation of relevant regulations.

The PTA had stressed that the full responsibility for any misuse of the SIM will lie with the registered user, therefore, users should ensure responsible use of their SIMs and mobile connections at all times. Registered users will be held individually accountable for all calls, messages and data usage made through their SIMs or devices.

The PTA further appealed to users to abide by all relevant laws and regulations, warning that action will be taken in case of violation.



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Budget 2026: CII pitches demand-led disinvestment plan; proposes four-step privatisation roadmap – The Times of India

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Budget 2026: CII pitches demand-led disinvestment plan; proposes four-step privatisation roadmap – The Times of India


The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) suggested a four-fold privatisation process in their recommendations on the Union Budget 2026-27. They called for faster and more predictable disinvestment. The industry body claimed that a calibrated privatisation approach would help sustain capital expenditure and fund development priorities, particularly in sectors where private participation can improve efficiency, technology adoption, and competitiveness. CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee highlighted the role of private enterprise in India’s growth. “A forward-looking privatisation policy, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat, will enable the government to focus on its core functions while empowering the private sector to accelerate industrial transformation and job creation,” he said, as quoted by ANI. To accelerate the government’s exit from non-strategic Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), CII outlined a four-pronged strategy. First, CII recommended adopting a demand-led approach for selecting PSEs for privatisation. Contrary to short-listing entities and then checking the appetite for them, it was proposed that government needs to start by measuring market interest for a larger list of entities and short-list those with better interest and valuation. Second, the industry body called for announcing a rolling three-year privatisation pipeline in advance. According to CII, greater visibility would give investors time to plan, deepen participation, and improve price discovery. Third, CII proposed setting up a dedicated institutional mechanism to oversee privatisation. This would include a ministerial board for strategic direction, an advisory panel of industry and legal experts, and a professional execution team to handle due diligence, market engagement, and regulatory coordination. Fourth, acknowledging that complete privatisation is complex and time-consuming, CII suggested a calibrated disinvestment route as an interim measure. The government could initially reduce its stake in listed PSEs to 51 per cent, retaining management control, and later bring it down further to between 33 per cent and 26 per cent. CII estimated that lowering government ownership to 51 per cent in 78 listed PSEs could unlock nearly Rs 10 lakh crore. In the first two years, disinvestment in 55 PSEs could raise about Rs 4.6 lakh crore, followed by Rs 5.4 lakh crore from 23 additional enterprises. “A calibrated reduction of government stake balances strategic control with value creation,” Banerjee said, adding that the proceeds could fund healthcare, education, green infrastructure, and fiscal consolidation while maintaining control in strategic sectors. The Union Budget for 2026–27 will be presented on February 1.



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