{
  "id": 7522013,
  "title": "‘Quietly opened the door to UPI fees’: Rahul Gandhi slams Modi govt, Centre defends notification",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/quietly-opened-the-door-to-upi-fees-rahul-gandhi-slams-modi-govt",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-15T09:32:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Mint",
    "slug": "live-mint",
    "url": "https://www.livemint.com/news/india/modi-govt-quietly-opened-the-door-to-imposing-fees-on-upi-rahul-as-he-slams-pm-modi-over-upi-transaction-charges-11789462476620.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has criticized the Narendra Modi government for allowing fees on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions. In a post on X, Gandhi stated that the government has indirectly opened the door to imposing merchant discount rate (MDR) fees on UPI transactions above ₹2,000. He argued that even a 5% share of the volume of transactions above ₹2,000 would account for nearly 65% of UPI's total transaction value. Gandhi accused the Modi government of being \"compromised,\" likening it to his party's stance on the US Trade Deal. Party President Mallikarjun Kharge echoed similar sentiments, saying the Modi government's \"loot\" has now extended to UPI.\n\nThe Centre recently notified changes to UPI transactions, stating that banks and payment system providers will not impose additional charges on UPI transactions up to ₹2,000 or payments made via RuPay debit cards. However, the specifics of the notification regarding transactions above ₹2,000 remain unclear. Currently, there are no charges on UPI transactions, regardless of the amount. The notification was issued in response to an amendment to Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, which legalizes the possibility of charging MDR on UPI transactions and other electronic payment methods under the law. The government maintains that the charges are necessary to ensure the financial sustainability of the sector and promote market expansion, encouraging more companies to invest in cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and digital infrastructure.",
  "summary": "Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government of opening the door to UPI transaction fees, alleging US pressure behind the move. The Centre's notification bars charges on UPI/RuPay payments up to ₹2,000, while citing cybersecurity and infrastructure costs as reasons for the broader MDR framework.",
  "key_points": [
    "Rahul Gandhi criticizes Modi govt for UPI fees",
    "Government allows MDR on UPI transactions above ₹2,000",
    "Centre defends notification, claims financial sustainability"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}