After Madhya Pradesh, now Maharashtra to observe ‘no UPI day’ on October 2: What should consumers keep in mind?
After Madhya Pradesh, traders across Maharashtra have announced a “No UPI Day”. The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MCCIA) shared that a state-wise protest will take place against the Centre’s decision over a 0.4 per cent fee levied on UPI transactions over ₹2,000.
No UPI day in Maharashtra
The protest is expected to be joined by 20,000 traders from across the state. They will observe the no UPI day by switching to cash only on October 2, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
Customers will have to make all payments in cash during the traders-led protest.
The protest in the state will take place right after a nationwide Bank strike from Sept 28 to 30, 2026.
According to multiple reports, traders will wear black bands and cover their UPI QR codes with messages such as “NO UPI DAY” to mark the protest.
What are the demands
According to a report by Deccan Cronicles, MCCIA president Ravindra Mangave said that the additional charges on UPI transactions above ₹2,000 can potentially increase the financial burden on businesses, especially in the case of small and medium ones.
Mangave added that while traders were not opposed to UPI payments, they are now seeking the withdrawal of the MDR. He added that the MDR charges would eventually affect consumers. “Any decision that puts a further burden on traders’ profits will not be accepted,” he was quoted as saying in the report.
“Due to competition from online companies, small traders are already forced to operate on very thin profit margins. Under such circumstances, the additional cost on UPI transactions will further impact their profitability,” he added.
Any direct impact on customers?
The Central government previously clarified that customers will not be charged any additional amount due to the changes to the UPI payments, which were completely fee-free for almost six years.
Customers will not have to pay any fee for making payments via UPI, Finance Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman had said. No MDR is to be charged on UPI transactions up to ₹2,000.
Protest in Madhya Pradesh
Meanwhile, Traders in Madhya Pradesh also protested against the MDR charges with a “No UPI Day” on Wednesday. Ramesh Khandelwal, president of the Ahilya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a federation of trade organisations, told PTI that traders from Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ratlam, Neemuch, Mandsaur, and Jaora were a part of the protest.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) also held a symbolic “No UPI Day” protest in Bhopal, as per the news agency.
Akshay Jain, president of the Indore Retail Garments Association, told PTI that the Centre should immediately withdraw the imposed MDR.
“If this decision is not withdrawn before October 15, traders will immerse UPI QR code machines in water bodies,” he warned.
