Today i.e. from March 1, the last month of the current financial year has started. In such a situation, some important changes related to finance have also been implemented. These changes due to Union Budget 2026-27 and new instructions from RBI will impact everything from your banking hours to the way you identify financial spam calls. On the other hand, there has been a change in the prices of domestic and commercial gas cylinders on the first day of the month. Also, the price of jet fuel has seen an increase for the first time in the year 2026. Due to which there has been a huge impact on your pocket. Let us also tell you what changes related to finance have been seen in the month of March, due to which your pocket may be affected.
RBI directs banks to remain open on March 31
To ease year-end accounting, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has ordered all agency banks handling government business to remain open on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Although it is Mahavir Jayanti – a public holiday – the branch must remain open for tax collection and processing of government payments. This ensures that all transactions for the financial year 2025-26 are recorded before the books are closed.
New ‘1600’ calling series for stockbrokers
To tackle the rising wave of financial fraud and “vishing”, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has set March 15, 2026 as the deadline for all qualified stockbrokers (QSBs) to migrate to the 1600 numbering series. Following changes by banks and mutual funds earlier this year, this change helps investors quickly identify the right calls from their brokers. If you receive a “financial” call from a standard 10-digit mobile number after this date, it may be a scam.
Income Tax: New deadline for revised returns
A big relief from the Union Budget 2026-27 is being implemented this month. The deadline for filing revised Income Tax Returns (ITR) has been officially extended till March 31. Earlier, taxpayers had only till December 31 to correct mistakes in their filing. You can now use the month of March to correct any mistakes in your 2025-26 declaration by paying a nominal fee, which will help you avoid potential penalties or scrutiny.
Easy rules of FASTag
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has officially abolished the “Know Your Vehicle” (KYV) requirement for cars from late February. From this March, passengers with existing FASTags no longer need to undergo regular KYV verification unless a specific complaint is made. Additionally, for digital wallet users like Bajaj Finserv, new FASTag sub-wallets will go live on March 3, 2026, to better segregate toll funds from the general balance.
Increase in price of commercial gas cylinder
Even though IOCL has not made any change in the prices of domestic gas cylinders, it has increased the prices of commercial gas cylinders for the third consecutive month. In the country’s capital Delhi, the price of commercial gas cylinder has seen an increase of Rs 188 during this period. Whereas in Kolkata, the highest increase of Rs 191.5 has been seen in the prices of commercial gas cylinders. Talking about Mumbai, the prices of commercial gas cylinders have increased by Rs 189. Whereas in Chennai, commercial gas cylinder has become costlier by Rs 189.5 in three consecutive months.
Jet fuel prices rise
On the other hand, an increase of 5 to 6 percent has been seen in the prices of jet fuel. This is the first time that jet fuel prices have increased in the year 2026. After this increase, the price of jet fuel in Chennai metropolis of the country has increased to more than Rs 1 lakh. Due to the rise in the prices of jet fuel, the operating cost of the airline will increase, due to which there may be an increase in flight tickets. Fuel accounts for more than 40 percent of the operating cost of any airline.