# New UPI MDR: Flat ₹5 fee on big telecom, rail, fuel bills 2026-09-16T02:16:58+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The government and NPCI have released the new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI payments, effective 15 October. Transactions of Rs 2,000 or less remain free. For merchant (P2M) payments above Rs 2,000, the standard MDR is 0.4%, capped at Rs 300 per transaction. However, five categories get a flat Rs 5 MDR for any amount above Rs 2,000: petrol pumps, railways, insurance premiums, telecom services, and utility bills for electricity, municipal water, and piped natural gas. Capital market payments (mutual funds, securities, stockbrokers) have a separate 0.02% MDR, capped at Rs 300. Consumers will not be charged directly, the MDR is payable by the merchant or intermediary. Small merchants receiving up to Rs 1 lakh per month get zero MDR on all transactions. Person-to-person (P2P) transfers remain free regardless of amount. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All three aajtak.in articles report the same new UPI MDR framework in the same explanatory, customer-service oriented style. The coverage is uniform wire-style reporting with no discernible pro-government or critical slant, despite the outlet's broader neutral-report record. The first article details the five flat-fee categories, the second explains MDR basics and reassures consumers they are not charged, and the third focuses on capital markets. The shared framing emphasises that the MDR burden falls on merchants and intermediaries, not consumers. A balanced reading supports this: the government's design deliberately spares small merchants and routine users. The key number to watch is 15 October, when the framework takes effect and merchant compliance begins. ## Coverage - aajtak.in - aajtak.in - aajtak.in Tags: digital payments, MDR, Ministry of Finance, NPCI, UPI Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/govt-unveils-new-upi-mdr-framework-with-flat-rs5-charge-for-select-sectors/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/govt-unveils-new-upi-mdr-framework-with-flat-rs5-charge-for-select-sectors/#story-in-brief