{
  "id": 8461580,
  "title": "Ghaziabad merchants unwilling to accept UPI from Oct 15 over new 0.4% MDR rule",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/ghaziabad-merchants-unwilling-to-accept-upi-from-oct-15-over-new-0-4",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-19T12:09:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ghaziabad-merchants-unwilling-to-accept-upi-from-oct-15-over-new-0-4-mdr-rule-101789819746846.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Traders and associations in Ghaziabad are concerned and considering a move to halt the acceptance of UPI payments starting October 15, in response to the new 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) rule. Sanjay Bindal, a grocery shop owner in sector-9, has displayed a poster outside his store indicating that he will no longer accept UPI from customers from that date. He explained that accepting UPI will result in him bearing the MDR cost, as he cannot pass it on to the customer. Bindal is part of the traders' association and has communicated the issue to the Union finance minister via local administration. Vipin Sharma, president of the Ghaziabad diesel-petrol dealer association, echoed similar concerns, stating that MDR will impact fuel stations as well. They have decided to refuse UPI transactions over ₹2000 starting October 15. Rajnish Bansal, a trader from Turab Nagar Market, highlighted that the cost of MDR will be absorbed by the shop owner, forcing them to either reduce discounts or raise prices. This development has left traders worried, as they are competing with online businesses and see this as a setback for a cashless economy.",
  "summary": "As per the new rules, Person-to-Merchant (P2M) UPI payments above ₹2,000 will attract a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate",
  "key_points": [],
  "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."
}