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Odisha Traders Protest 'No UPI Day' Against Proposed MDR on Transactions
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News18•02-10-2026, 22:00
Odisha Traders Protest 'No UPI Day' Against Proposed MDR on Transactions
- •Traders in Odisha's Ganjam district observed "No UPI Day" to protest the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain UPI transactions.
- •Members of the Ganjam Chamber of Commerce (GCC) held a protest rally in Berhampur, raising slogans against the MDR.
- •Protesting traders argued that the decision to impose MDR contradicts the government's promotion of Digital India and will harm small businesses.
- •A GCC leader demanded a white paper from the Union government explaining who will benefit from the MDR imposition and vowed to continue protests until it's rolled back.
- •Small traders and street vendors across the state have reportedly stopped accepting UPI payments, demanding cash instead.
Key Questions Answered
Traders in Ganjam observed 'No UPI Day' to protest against the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain UPI transactions, demanding a complete rollback of the decision. They argued that the sudden imposition would hamper their business margins.
A Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) of 0.4 percent is introduced on specified person-to-merchant UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, which is scheduled to come into effect from October 15. UPI transactions up to Rs 2,000 and all person-to-person transfers will remain free.
Protesting traders took out rallies with placards, raised slogans to protect small businesses, stopped accepting UPI payments from customers, demanded cash payments, and planned to symbolically cover QR codes with black cloth.
