Proposed UPI Merchant Discount Rate not a tax, cess or surcharge; will not burden consumers: FM

The proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select high-value UPI transactions is neither a tax, cess nor a surcharge, and the collections will not accrue to the government, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, rejecting criticism from Opposition parties. The Finance Minister said the MDR is a charge within the digital payments ecosystem and is being levied by entities facilitating UPI transactions, including payment service providers, merchant's bank and other ecosystem participants.