--- title: "Government introduces UPI fee on merchant payments over ₹2,000" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/government-introduces-upi-fee-on-merchant-payments-over-2000" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/government-introduces-upi-fee-on-merchant-payments-over-2000" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/government-introduces-upi-fee-on-merchant-payments-over-2000.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/government-introduces-upi-fee-on-merchant-payments-over-2000" category: "Business & Economy" published: "2026-09-16T11:25:12.601Z" source_reported: "2026-09-16T11:01:41.000Z" updated: "2026-09-16T11:25:12.601Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-16T12:27:46.146Z" --- # Government introduces UPI fee on merchant payments over ₹2,000 *New charge effective October 15 exempts person-to-person transactions.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to the Finance Ministry and supported by a full report from one outlet. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. The reporting is largely based on digests, with only one full report, limiting depth and direct attribution. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headlines use terms like 'tax' and 'betrayal' which are not fully supported by the reporting. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - A 0.4% fee on UPI transfers exceeding ₹2,000 made to merchants will take effect on October 15. - The Finance Ministry has stated that customers will not incur charges and person-to-person transactions remain exempt. - Opposition MPs have criticised the new fee, labelling it an 'anti-people' measure. - Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of bowing to US President Donald Trump and demanded the fee's withdrawal. The government has introduced a 0.4% fee on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transfers of more than ₹2,000 made to merchants. This charge is set to take effect on October 15. The Finance Ministry issued a statement clarifying that customers will not be required to pay any charge for these transactions. The ministry also specified that person-to-person transactions are exempt from the fee and will continue to have unlimited free usage without monthly quotas or volume restrictions. ## Disagreement on the fee's impact Opposition MPs have expressed concern over the new fee, with some calling it an 'anti-people' move that would affect the entire population. The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP N.K. Premchandran stated that the decision would impact everyone. However, the Finance Ministry's statement indicated that the fee is a charge within the merchant payment ecosystem and not on customers making UPI payments. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated reports mention the specific date the fee was introduced, September 15. None of the right-rated reports mention the specific date the fee was introduced, September 15, or the specific exemption for person-to-person transactions that the Finance Ministry detailed. The centre-rated coverage is absent from this story. ## Who covered it Shares of the 11 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 27% (3) - Centre: 0% (0) - Right: 73% (8) 12 of 23 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-16T12:27:46.146Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 5 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-16T12:30:34.171Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports led on the opposition's criticism of the new UPI fee. The Hindu, which provided a full report, highlighted that MPs, mostly from the opposition, raised concerns over the government's decision to levy a fee on UPI payments above ₹2,000 to merchants. It quoted RSP MP N.K. Premchandran calling the move 'completely anti-people'. Indian Express digests also focused on Rahul Gandhi's jibe that the Prime Minister had decided to 'prostrate before Trump'. ### Centre No separate framing summary. ### Right - Right-rated reports focused on Rahul Gandhi's demand for a rollback of the UPI charge and his accusation that the Prime Minister had bowed to US President Donald Trump. India Today digests noted Gandhi sticking to his 'UPI tax' claim despite the Centre's denial. Rediff.com digests reported that Opposition MPs slammed the new UPI charges, calling them 'anti-people' and raising concerns in a Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting. Aninews.in digests highlighted PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss urging the Centre to scrap the proposed UPI fee, stating the general public would be indirectly affected. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 7 - high: 4 - unknown: 12 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Zoom News](https://zoomnews.in/en/news-detail/rahul-gandhi-demands-upi-charge-withdrawal-government-sources-reject-reconsideration.html) — Rahul Gandhi Demands UPI Charge Withdrawal Government Sources Reject Reconsideration - [India TV Hindi Hindi](https://indiatv.in/india/politics/rahul-gandhi-demands-withdrawal-of-upi-taxreleases-video-appealing-to-pm-modi-not-bow-down-america-2026-09-16-1243563) — Rahul Gandhi Demands Withdrawal of UPI Tax, Appeals to PM Modi in Video - India TV Hindi - [Times of India](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/prime-minister-has-decided-to-prostrate-before-trump-rahul-gandhi-on-upi-tax/articleshow/134286085.cms) — Prime Minister has decided to prostrate before Trump: Rahul Gandhi on 'UPI tax' - [NEWS9 LIVE](https://news9live.com/india/have-a-spine-dont-lie-down-in-front-of-trump-rahul-gandhi-attacks-pm-narendra-modi-over-upi-tax-3008059) — ‘Have a spine, don’t lie down in front of Trump’: Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Narendra Modi over ‘UPI tax’ - [Unknown](https://hindi.pardaphash.com/politics-over-upi-payment-charges-rahul-gandhi-targets-pm-modi-says-withdraw-the-upi-tax) — Politics over UPI Payment Fees: Rahul Gandhi Targets PM Modi, Says, "Withdraw UPI tax." - [India Today](https://indiatoday.in/india/story/upi-mdr-charges-rahul-gandhi-seeks-immediate-rollback-centre-says-users-unaffected-2995865-2026-09-16) — Despite Centre's denial, Rahul Gandhi sticks to UPI tax claim, says PM bowed to Trump - [Scroll India](https://scroll.in/latest/1095792/have-a-spine-roll-back-charges-on-upi-transactions-rahul-gandhi-to-modi) — ‘Have a spine’, roll back charges on UPI payments, Rahul Gandhi to Modi - [TV9 Hindi](https://tv9hindi.com/india/upi-charges-mdr-rahul-gandhi-narendra-modi-upi-merchant-payments-3908557.html) — Rahul Gandhi Demanded Withdrawal of UPI Charges, but a Government Source Said, "No Such idea." - [Pragativadi: Leading Odia Dailly](https://pragativadi.com/rahul-gandhi-upi-tax-rollback-demand-by-congress) — Rahul Gandhi Demands Immediate Rollback of 'UPI Tax' - [Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/upi-charges-row-rahul-gandhi-modi-mdr-framework-10880543) — ‘PM Modi has decided to prostrate before Trump’: Rahul Gandhi’s ‘UPI tax’ jibe - [rediff.com](https://rediff.com/business/report/oppn-mps-term-upi-fees-anti-people-raise-concerns/20260916.htm) — Opposition Slams New UPI Charges, Questions GDP Calculation - [Unknown](https://aajtak.in/india/news/story/rahul-gandhi-demands-roll-back-upi-mdr-tax-us-president-trump-ntcppl-dskc-2643870-2026-09-16) — "Modi Ji, Show Courage, Withdraw the UPI tax..." Rahul Gandhi Attacks the PM, Invoking Trump's Name. - [ABP News](https://news.abplive.com/news/india/modi-ji-roll-it-back-now-rahul-gandhi-calls-for-withdrawal-of-new-upi-payments-charge-1867002) — ‘Modi Ji, Roll It Back Now’: Rahul Invokes Indira Gandhi Over New UPI Payments Charge - [Latestly](https://latestly.com/agency-news/india-news-sept-14-to-be-remembered-as-day-of-betrayal-randeep-surjewala-on-proposed-upi-transaction-tax-7606666.html) — Sept 14 to Be Remembered as Day of Betrayal: Randeep Surjewala on Proposed UPI Transaction Tax - [The Hindu](https://thehindu.com/news/national/opposition-mps-raise-concerns-over-proposed-upi-merchant-payment-fee/article71471738.ece) — Opposition MPs raise concerns over proposed UPI merchant payment fee - [Orissa POST](https://orissapost.com/opposition-mps-raise-concern-over-move-to-levy-fee-on-upi-payments-to-merchants-at-parliament-panel-meet) — Oppn MPs raise concern over move to levy fee on UPI payments to merchants at Parliament panel meet - OrissaPOST - [Tribune India](https://tribuneindia.com/news/india/mps-raise-concern-over-move-to-levy-fee-on-upi-payments-to-merchants-at-parliament-panel-meet) — MPs raise concern over move to levy fee on UPI payments to merchants at Parliament panel meet - The Tribune - [India News Australia](https://indianews.com.au/surjewala-accuses-centre-of-betrayal-of-citizens-over-proposed-upi-transaction-charges) — Surjewala accuses Centre of betrayal of citizens over proposed UPI transaction charges - [Ommcom News](https://ommcomnews.com/india-news/surjewala-accuses-centre-of-betrayal-of-citizens-over-proposed-upi-transaction-charges) — Surjewala Accuses Centre Of Betrayal Of Citizens Over Proposed UPI Transaction Charges - [The News Mill](https://thenewsmill.com/2026/09/pmks-anbumani-ramadoss-urges-centre-to-scrap-upi-transaction-fee) — PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss urges Centre to scrap UPI transaction fee - [aninews.in](https://aninews.in/news/national/general-news/general-public-will-be-indirectly-affected-pmks-anbumani-ramadoss-urges-centre-to-scrap-proposed-upi-fee20260916122451) — "General public will be indirectly affected": PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss urges Centre to scrap proposed UPI fee - [The Live Nagpur](https://thelivenagpur.com/2026/09/16/nccl-raises-concerns-over-proposed-upi-transaction-charges) — NCCL raises concerns over proposed UPI transaction charges - [News7 Tamil | News7 | Global Tamil News Channel | Online news for Tamil Diaspora | Latest news from](https://news7tamil.live/the-central-government-must-abandon-the-plan-to-levy-charges-on-upi-transactions-anbumani-urges.html) — "The Central Government Should Abandon the UPI Transaction Fee Collection Plan" - Anbumani Insists! - News7 Tamil ## Questions **What is the new fee being introduced for UPI payments?** A 0.4% fee will be applied to UPI transfers exceeding ₹2,000 that are made to merchants. This charge is scheduled to take effect from October 15. **Who will have to pay the new UPI fee?** The Finance Ministry has stated that customers will not be required to pay any charge. The fee is described as a charge within the merchant payment ecosystem, not on customers making UPI payments. **Are all UPI transactions affected by this new fee?** No, the fee applies only to transfers worth more than ₹2,000 made to merchants. Person-to-person transactions are explicitly exempt and will continue to be free with no restrictions. **What has been the reaction from opposition parties?** Opposition MPs have expressed concern, calling the move 'anti-people'. Rahul Gandhi has accused the Prime Minister of bowing to US President Donald Trump and demanded the withdrawal of the fee. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/government-introduces-upi-fee-on-merchant-payments-over-2000. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Government introduces UPI fee on merchant payments over ₹2,000", https://mediabias.news/business/government-introduces-upi-fee-on-merchant-payments-over-2000