How much it costs govt to keep UPI free?:Shopkeepers may move to cash payments instead if Centre levies fees, says expert

The GTRI has said that it would cost the government only ₹2,000-₹2,500 crore annually to keep UPI free. Plus, the global think tank added that the Centre might save more money by keeping India’s flagship digital mode of payment free rather than imposing charges. The ₹2,000–2,500 crore annual cost of keeping UPI free is tiny. It is also a highly productive public investment that supports transactions worth hundreds of lakh crore rupees and saves the country the larger costs of managing cash. India can easily afford to bear this cost. -GTRI UPI charges could push small merchants back to cash Ajay Srivastava says that levying UPI fees could push small merchants (shopkeepers) back to cash, adding that UPI must remain free. He further said that the government should strengthen its world-leading payment system and not weaken it.