Big changes from July 1: Costlier passports, free Aadhaar updates, EPFO services

SEveral government-related services and financial rules feature changed from wed, July 1, with updates poignant millions of people crossways bharat. The latest changes cover EPF account holders, Aadhaar users, passport applicants and income taxpayers, while a rule concerning LPG and PNG connections is also expected to take effect.The changes have been announced by the respective government authorities through official notifications and memorandums.EPFO online services back after five-day maintenanceThe Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will restore its online services after completing a scheduled system migration and database consolidation exercise. Also read | EPFO 3.0 to enable PF withdrawal via ATM, UPI soon; rollout expected soonThe services is scheduled to resume from July 2, according to a notice on the EPFO portal. Aadhaar email update now free till DecemberAadhaar holders will no longer have to pay a fee for updating the email address linked to their Aadhaar through the Aadhaar mobile application, as per an official notification. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) announced the waiver through an official memorandum issued on June 19. The exemption will remain effective from July 1 until December 31, 2026. Before this, users had to pay a prescribed fee to update their email address using the app.Passport fees revised after more than a decadePeople applying for a passport will now have to pay higher charges, with the Ministry of External Affairs revising passport application fees from July 1, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).The revision marks the first major increase in passport fees since 2012. Under the new rates, the fee for a standard 36-page passport booklet has increased from ₹1,500 to ₹2,500. The Tatkaal fee for the same passport has gone up to ₹5,000.Also read | Passport fee hiked for both fresh and re-issued documents, check new ratesThe ministry has also increased the charges for 60-page passport booklets, passports for minors and police clearance certificates. The revised fee structure applies to passport services in India as well as overseas.Income tax return deadline draws closerThe countdown has begun for taxpayers filing their Income Tax Returns under ITR-1 and ITR-2, with July 31, 2026, remaining the last date to submit returns without attracting penalties.ITR-1 is generally meant for salaried individuals with limited additional income, such as bank interest. ITR-2 applies to taxpayers who have capital gains, own multiple house properties or have an annual income exceeding ₹50 lakh.Tax experts have advised eligible taxpayers to complete the filing process well before the deadline to avoid last-minute issues.LPG and PNG transition ruleA change relating to domestic cooking gas connections may also take effect from July.Also read | You may now have to surrender your cylinders: Why India’s new LPG rule may require switching fully to PNGPeople who have both LPG and PNG connections were required to switch completely to PNG by June 30. However, there has been no official announcement confirming the discontinuation of LPG supply.The rule also provides that if a person later shifts to an area where PNG services are not available, they will be allowed to reactivate the LPG connection that was surrendered earlier.