New Delhi, September 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Santrupt Misra on Saturday called for exploring alternative methods to fund infrastructure upgrades and cybersecurity improvements in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), while protecting consumers and small businesses from additional charges.
His remarks came a day after Odisha Leader of the Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik raised concerns over the recently announced 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain UPI transactions above Rs 2,000. Patnaik had stressed the need to protect the interests of common people and small traders, including shopkeepers.
Speaking to reporters, Misra described UPI as a “very important innovation” but said the key issue was how the required technological and cybersecurity investments should be funded.
“The question is not that it requires funding to create cyber security and improvement in technology platform, rather the question is how is it to be funded? Who pays for it? And how do we ensure that there is a sustainable investment into the process?” Misra said.
He emphasised that protecting consumers and small businesses remained the BJD’s position.
“BJD’s stand is that the consumers and small businesses have to be protected,” he said.
Misra said the government should examine other avenues of funding rather than placing additional financial burdens on small businesses.
“There can be many other avenues of funding this process, we have to explore all of that, rather than imposing small businesses with further charges,” he said.
On Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s social media post claiming that the Parliament Standing Committee on Finance had not discussed the UPI tax proposal recently announced by the Central government, Misra said he had no knowledge of whether such a discussion had taken place.
However, he urged committee chairman Bhartruhari Mahtab to clarify whether the panel had discussed the issue and, if so, what was the nature of the discussion.
Misra also called for greater transparency in the functioning of Parliamentary committees, particularly on matters concerning the public interest.
“Public needs to know what exactly was discussed on a particular matter and why constructive ideas, if present, were not accepted?” he said.
Meanwhile, the Odisha Congress has strongly criticised the Union government over the issue, comparing the proposed 0.4 per cent MDR on UPI transactions with the historical “Jizya tax”.
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