India has been recognised globally for its strides in social protection, becoming the fifth country to win the prestigious International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Security.The honour was conferred at the World Social Security Forum (WSSF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya received the award on behalf of the government, PTI reported.“The award is a testament to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi… empowering the last person in the line, that has shaped our journey towards inclusive and universal social protection,” Mandaviya said.According to the labour ministry, India’s social security coverage expanded sharply to 64.3 per cent in 2025, up from just 19 per cent in 2015. Mandaviya said the government is pursuing comprehensive reforms in policy, process, and technology to deepen social security.The ISSA award, first introduced in 2013, is presented once every three years. Brazil was the inaugural recipient, followed by China in 2016, Rwanda in 2019, and Iceland in 2022.India’s approach, the ministry noted, has moved from fragmented systems to an integrated, lifecycle-based safety net. Examples include PM POSHAN for child nutrition, Janani Suraksha Yojana for safe childbirth, PM-KISAN for farmers, and the National Old Age Pension Scheme for senior citizens.Mandaviya said India is leveraging digital innovation to widen opportunities for income generation and strengthen social protection through financial access, skilling, and self-employment.

MUMBAI: UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions in September 2025 continued to show strong momentum, with growth evident in both daily transaction counts and values. While the total number of transactions for the month dipped slightly compared to August, the average daily data—adjusted for the shorter 30-day September—indicates a clear upward trend in activity on the platform.UPI processed 19.63 billion transactions in September, marginally lower than the 20.01 billion recorded in August. In value terms, the platform saw Rs 24.90 lakh crore transacted, almost flat compared to Rs 24.85 lakh crore in August. On a month-on-month basis, this translated into a 1.9% decline in volume but a 0.2% increase in value. The fall in aggregate numbers was largely due to September having one fewer day than August, making the daily averages more representative of underlying growth.On an average daily basis, UPI handled 654 million transactions worth Rs 83,000 crore each day in September. This marked a 1.37% increase in daily transaction count compared to August’s 645 million and a sharper 3.54% rise in daily value from Rs 80,160 crore. The stronger rise in value relative to volume indicates a growth in average ticket size, with users transacting higher amounts per payment in September. July’s daily averages were lower at 628 million transactions and Rs 80,900 crore, showing a clear three-month progression.The year-on-year picture remains more robust. September’s total transaction volume was 31% higher than the same month last year, while August had posted 34% growth. In value terms, both August and September registered 21% growth over their respective 2024 levels. These double-digit gains underscore the platform’s continued expansion and deepening integration into everyday payments.