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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Karnataka govt tables Rs 14,767 cr supplementary estimates in assembly
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday tabled the supplementary estimates in the assembly, totalling Rs 14,767 crore of additional expenditure for the current fiscal.
Tabled by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on behalf of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, supplementary estimates are additional expenditures incurred by the government over and above the budget provisions.
In the fiscal ending March, additional expenditures include Rs 147 crore on the Sadhana Samavesha to mark two years of the Congress government and Rs 223 crore for railway barricading to prevent human-elephant conflict.
As per the supplementary estimates, the government spent Rs 1.25 crore to purchase a Volvo XC90 for former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
It also includes -- Rs 1,025 crore to clear various irrigation works bills, Rs 15 crore for helicopter and air travels by Governor, CM, ministers and other VIPs, Rs 110 crore towards scholarship and tuition fee reimbursement for minority students, Rs 15 crore for development of various temples, maths and trusts.
The government also spent Rs 1.4 crore to print a book comprising 'selected' speeches of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Rs 50 lakh to clear pending electricity and water bills of ministers' residences, Rs 10 crore towards rehabilitation of families affected by landslides at Meppadi in Wayanad, Kerala.
Rs 5 crore each for Brahmin Development Board and Arya-Vysya Development Corporation, Rs 60 lakh to Supreme Court senior advocate Kapil Sibal for two appearances representing the government, Rs 5.13 crore towards bills from the Belagavi winter session of the legislature, Rs 5.5 crore towards pending bills from the 2019 and 2021 Assembly bypolls and the upcoming Davangere South and Bagalkot bypolls, are among the expenditures incurred.
