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Madhya Pradesh Traders Protest Proposed UPI Fee With QR Covers
Traders in Madhya Pradesh held a ‘No UPI Day’ protest.
They covered their payment QR codes with black cloth.
They wanted people to pay with cash instead.
The traders opposed a proposed 0.4% fee on some UPI payments.
The fee would apply to payments above Rs 2,000 made to businesses.
Payments up to Rs 2,000 would not have this fee.
The traders said the charge would create an extra burden for them.
The government said customers would not have to pay an additional fee.
Traders across Madhya Pradesh observed ‘No UPI Day’ by covering shop QR codes with black cloth.
The protest opposed a proposed 0.4% merchant discount rate on person-to-merchant UPI payments above Rs 2,000.
The fee is scheduled to apply from October 15, while payments up to Rs 2,000 would remain exempt.
Traders urged customers to pay in cash and questioned why the MDR burden would fall on them.
The Finance Ministry said customers would not be charged any additional fee for UPI payments.
- Who
- Traders and business organisations across Madhya Pradesh, including groups represented by Ramesh Khandelwal and Akshay Jain.
- What
- They observed ‘No UPI Day’ and covered QR codes to protest a proposed 0.4% MDR on UPI payments above Rs 2,000.
- Where
- Across Madhya Pradesh, including Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ratlam, Neemuch, Mandsaur, and Jaora.
- When
- The protest took place on Wednesday, September 23; the proposed charge was scheduled to begin October 15.
- Why
- Traders said the proposed MDR would burden them, while the government said customers would not be charged an additional fee.
Traders’ concerns
Government’s position
Who should bear the cost?
Traders’ concerns
Traders questioned why they should face an additional burden if MDR collections would not go to the government treasury.
Government’s position
The government said customers would not be charged any additional amount for making the affected UPI payments.
Whether the policy should proceed
Traders’ concerns
Trader representatives urged the Centre to withdraw the proposed 0.4% MDR and threatened further QR-code protests if it was not withdrawn before October 15.
Government’s position
The government announced that the UPI system would remain fee-free for customers, including payments covered by the change.
Key facts
- Proposed MDR
- 0.4% on person-to-merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000
- Effective date
- October 15
- Exemption
- No MDR on UPI transactions up to Rs 2,000
- Protest action
- Traders covered QR codes with black cloth and appealed for cash payments
- Participation
- Nearly 125 business organisations in Indore participated, according to Ramesh Khandelwal
- Locations
- Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ratlam, Neemuch, Mandsaur, and Jaora
- Government position
- The Finance Ministry said customers would not pay any additional UPI fee
Quotes
Ramesh Khandelwal
President of the Ahilya Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Madhya Pradesh representative on the National Traders Welfare Board
“Traders are not against the government, but their question is, if the money collected from MDR is not going to the government treasury, why is this additional burden being placed on traders?”
theprint.in
Finance Ministry
India’s central government ministry commenting on the UPI payment changes
“Customers will not have to pay any fee for making such payments through UPI.”
theprint.in
Sources
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