ChatGPT Go one-year free access rolls out in India; users face issues in activating via UPI
New Delhi (PTI): ChatGPT Go's 12-month free access rollout in India on Tuesday witnessed significant user interest, but many reported difficulties activating the offer using their UPI credentials.
OpenAI introduced a 12-month, no-cost ChatGPT Go plan for Indian users, beginning November 4, 2025, as part of a limited-time promotion.
However, several users took to X (formerly Twitter) to complain about unsuccessful activation attempts.
Common grievances include repeated approvals of a Re 1 UPI debit without activation, applications getting stuck on the payment screen, and ongoing errors relating to valid UPI IDs and incomplete mandates, even when the payment authorisation appears to be successful.
According to OpenAI, enrolling in the ChatGPT Go free access offer requires adding a payment method (either a Credit Card or UPI), despite the absence of any subscription fee. It mandates a temporary charge of Re 1 at every billing cycle, which is immediately refunded.
The setup is designed to enable automatic billing for ChatGPT Go after the 12-month free promotion expires. Users are reminded that cancelling the subscription during the free period renders the offer void for that account.
“Excited for free ChatGPT Go in India, but UPI verification stuck! Invalid VPA error despite valid ID like myname@phonepe. Mandate not completing. Please fix UPI support ASAP!” a user wrote on X.
“I am facing the ChatGPT Go subscription payment issue using the UPI method. Even after confirming the upi payment it is stuck at the approved payment screen. Any fix or is it a bug ?” another said.
“Tried activating the new ChatGPT Go 12-month free offer today — but even after approving payment twice (Re 1 each time via UPI), the plan didn’t activate. The page shows Rs 0.00 total due, but still no access to ChatGPT Go. Anyone else facing this issue? @OpenAI, please check,” a third user said.
OpenAI acknowledged that UPI payments experienced a temporary disruption shortly after launch due to unexpectedly high traffic, which briefly overloaded its systems.
"Demand was so high it briefly overwhelmed our UPI integration. We've been working with partners to restore it quickly, and we're rolling availability back out," OpenAI said in a statement.
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Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll rises to 20; sixteen workers undergoing treatment
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday.
The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.
The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.
According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident.
Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died.
"Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added.
Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured.
The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support.
The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said.
The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty.
He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated.
The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation.
Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry.
The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible.
He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured.
The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022.
Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction.
The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
