Bhubaneswar, Sept. 16 -- Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das on Wednesday criticised the Centre over the introduction of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select UPI transactions, alleging that the move would increase the financial burden on small traders, vegetable vendors and ordinary consumers.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan here along with AICC Odisha in-charge Lalji Desai, Das said UPI had become an integral part of everyday life and alleged that the Centre's decision marked a departure from its earlier promotion of digital payments.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced that a 0.4 per cent MDR will apply from October 15 to specified person-to-merchant UPI tra...