A high-level trade delegation led by Hon’ble Member of Parliament & Secretary General of CAIT, Shri Praveen Khandelwal ji, along with Kailash Lakhyani, Founder Chairman of the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA), met with the Hon’ble Union Minister of Finance, SmtNirmala Sitharaman ji, at her office today to submit a joint representation outlining crucial concerns regarding the proposed UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR).During the meeting, the delegation submitted a joint statement on behalf of the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA) and the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF), presenting the operational challenges and recommendations of mainline traders and retailers nationwide. The delegation placed several key requests before the Hon’ble Finance Minister: Defer the Implementation: Postpone the proposed UPI MDR in view of the upcoming festive season and heightened mainline business activity. Gradual and Phased Implementation: Instead of introducing a 0.40% charge immediately, respectfully adopt a phased approach—initially introducing MDR at 0.20% during FY 2026–27, followed by annual increments of 0.05% until reaching 0.40%, enabling merchants to adapt without sudden financial disruption.Revisit Threshold Limit: Re-evaluate the proposed ₹1 lakh threshold limit and consider raising it to ₹5 lakh, aligning with the real-world operational realities and transaction volumes of merchants. Exempt M2M Transactions: Keep Merchant-to-Merchant (M2M) business transfers outside the purview of MDR, recognizing their vital importance to the trading ecosystem and liquidity. Constitute an Expert Committee: Form a dedicated special committee to examine these industry concerns thoroughly and recommend a balanced way forward. The Hon’ble Finance Minister accorded a very patient and attentive hearing to the concerns raised, which have a direct bearing on millions of merchants across the country, and assured that the issues would be duly considered and addressedMainline retail and distribution sectors express full faith in the Government of India. Following these positive discussions and constructive assurances, AIMRA and AICPDF have formally resolved to withdraw the proposed symbolic “NO UPI DAY” scheduled for October 2, 2026.
Trade Delegation Meets Hon’ble Union Finance Minister SmtNirmala Sitharaman on UPI MDR; AIMRA & AICPDF Call Off Proposed “NO UPI DAY”
