- Indore traders to observe 'No-UPI Day' on September 23.
- Protest against 0.4% MDR charge on UPI payments over Rs 2,000.
- Traders threaten wider boycott if proposed fee remains.
Indore traders are set to observe a No-UPI Day on September 23 to protest the proposed 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charge on UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000, starting October 15. As many as 125 merchant organisations in the city have announced that their members will not accept UPI payments on the day.
The protest began with traders in the Rajwada area putting up posters against the UPI fee on Friday. Later that evening, representatives of several trade associations met at Siyaganj, Indore’s largest wholesale grocery market, where they decided to observe the protest day.
What Will Happen On September 23?
Under the decision, participating traders and shopkeepers will stop accepting UPI payments throughout September 23. The campaign has brought together associations representing different sections of the city’s trading community, including the Sarafa Merchant Association, Retail Garment Association, Marothia Bazaar, Petrol-Diesel Dealer Association, Siyaganj traders, and plywood, pulses and rice merchants.
The meeting was held under the banner of the Ahilya Chamber of Commerce and Industries. Chamber president Ramesh Khandelwal and minister Govind Agarwal described the proposed UPI fee as a hurdle to digital payments and smooth business operations.
Garment Merchants Association president Akshay Jain said traders needed to protest against the charge to prevent its impact on businesses.
Traders Threaten Further UPI Restrictions
The associations have also announced a further step if their demand is not addressed. If the government does not withdraw the charge, traders said they would stop accepting UPI payments above Rs 2,000 from October 15.
Protest Also Held In Nagda
The opposition to the MDR charge has also spread beyond Indore. In Nagda Junction, the Grocery Traders Association submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister and Finance Minister through SDM Ranjana Patidar, seeking reconsideration and withdrawal of the proposed charge.
Association president Manish Jain and Manoj Rathi said traders had supported the government's move towards online payments and argued that the proposed charge would adversely affect the trading community.
The memorandum was also signed by traders including Badrilal Porwal, Ramesh Mohta, Mahendra Rathore and Ghanshyam Rathi.