Question : Charges on Digital Transactions

(a) whether the Government proposes to reduce the charges on transactions made through digital mode;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is aware that the consumers are being compelled to make payments through digital mode after the introduction of digital payment system and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to do away with the transaction charges which is a burden on the consumers and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the stand of the Government in this regard?
Answer

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance


(a) to (b) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) capped the charges that can be levied in case of digital transactions, namely National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and debit card transactions. The details are given in Annexure.

(c) While citizen are provided the opportunity to make digital payments, there is no compulsion on consumers to make payments through digital mode.

(d) to (e) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has informed that there is no transaction charge at present for transfer of money from person to person on UPI-BHIM platform.

Further, Reserve Bank of India has instructed banks to ensure that MDR charges should not be passed on to customers by merchants while accepting payments through debit cards.
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