From no WhatsApp to contactless card transactions, changes that will impact you in 2021

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has confirmed that it will withdraw support for several Android and iOS devices starting next year. This will include any smartphone running on a version prior to Android 4.0.3 or iOS 9. The move follows the introduction of several new features by the app through the year.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier announced that FASTag is being made mandatory for all vehicles in the country from the new year. FASTag will now be enforced from January 1, 2021. Enumerating its benefits, he said, it is useful for the commuters as they will not need to stop at toll plazas for cash payments and it also saves time and fuel.

In order to check banking fraud, the Reserve Bank of India has decided to introduce from January 1, 2021, the 'positive pay system' for cheque, under which re-confirmation of key details may be needed for payments beyond Rs 50,000. Under the positive pay system, the issuer of the cheque will be required to submit electronically, through SMS, mobile app, internet banking or ATM certain minimum details of that cheque like date, name of the beneficiary, payee, amount to the drawee bank.

Users would have to dial '0' before making calls from landline to mobile numbers starting January 15, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has confirmed. Titled ‘modification of dialling pattern from fixed line numbers to cellular mobile numbers', the announcement noted that telecom operators have been asked to make the necessary arrangements by January 1 to put the new prefix system in place.

To ensure the adoption of digital payments in a safe and secure manner, the RBI governor had announced that the central bank has proposed to increase the limit for contactless card transactions to Rs 5,000 from Rs 2,000 per transaction from January 1, 2021. This announcement was part of the RBI's bi-monetary policy announcement held on December 4, 2020.