Traders in Namakkal staged a peaceful protest wearing black badges and displayed banners opposing the proposed levy of charges on UPI transactions.
Jeyakumar Vellaiyan, president of the Namakkal district unit of the Tamil Nadu Traders’ Associations’ Federation, said traders were already burdened with several taxes, including rent-related taxes, professional tax, property tax, garbage tax, GST, income tax and customs duty. The proposed UPI transaction charges had now added to their concerns, he said.
He noted that UPI had initially been introduced as a convenient, free payment method, particularly benefiting small and micro businesses struggling with the complexities of GST. The reported announcement that transaction charges would be imposed from October 15 had come as a shock to traders, he said.
Vellaiyan warned that what was being introduced as a small charge could eventually become a significant burden on traders and consumers. He also cautioned that the move could lead to an increase in the prices of essential commodities.
The proposed charges would directly affect small businesses and consumers and run counter to the vision of Digital India, he said. The federation urged the Union government to withdraw the announcement immediately.
As part of the protest, shops and commercial establishments displayed banners opposing UPI transaction charges, while traders wore badges expressing their dissent. The protest was held peacefully, he added.
