Punjab's Finance, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced the unearthing of a Rs 429.30 crore GST fraud, leading to an FIR in Ludhiana. The investigation, initiated after intercepting a vehicle on September 30, revealed a syndicate of 62 interconnected firms across multiple states using non-genuine documents to evade taxes.
Tax experts clarify that merchants will pay 18% GST on Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. However, registered merchants can claim Input Tax Credit (ITC), mitigating the tax burden. This move is expected to generate significant GST revenue for the exchequer while funding payment infrastructure.
India's eway bill generation reached 139.08 million in August, marking the third-highest monthly count on record and indicating sustained momentum in goods movement and formal economic activity, according to official data.
Merchants will be subject to an 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000, but can mitigate this burden by claiming input tax credit (ITC), according to tax experts.
GSTN has put on hold its planned enhancements to the e-way bill system, providing businesses with crucial time to adapt to the proposed changes amid widespread industry concerns.
India's banking system liquidity surplus has significantly narrowed due to tax outflows, including GST payments, and higher cash reserve ratio balances. This tightening liquidity has pushed the weighted average call rate closer to the RBI's marginal standing facility rate, with market participants anticipating a persistent deficit in the coming months.
Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, has urged for the expanded adoption of the Account Aggregator (AA) framework to facilitate formal credit access for self-employed individuals and gig workers. He highlighted its potential to enable cash-flow-based lending by leveraging diverse data streams, moving beyond traditional asset-based lending, and fostering a more inclusive digital financial infrastructure in India.
The goal is to ensure that your bank works for you, providing liquidity and convenience without charging you for the privilege of holding your own money.
Central tax authorities detected input tax credit (ITC) fraud worth Rs 74,781.56 crore across 30,162 cases in FY26, more than doubling the number of cases from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Finance.
Bihar became the first non-NDA state and overall second after the BJP-ruled Assam to pass GST bill.
Avenue Supermarts (DMart) reported lower-than-expected Q2FY27 performance, with revenue growth of 18.4 per cent year-on-year but visible margin pressure, leading to a 4.5 per cent stock drop. The company faces challenges from lower-margin sales, operating cost pressures, and aggressive store expansion, impacting profitability despite improved same-store sales growth.
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The GST will subsume most of the indirect taxes like excise duty and service tax
The Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has dismantled a GST fraud cartel, arresting six individuals involved in swindling Rs 128 crore through shell companies and fake invoicing.
By doing away with the 1 per cent inter-state tax over and above the GST rate, the government has met one of the three key demands over which Opposition Congress has been blocking the Bill in the Upper House
India's Monsoon session of Parliament remains formally unprorogued 40 days after adjournment, setting a new record. This unusual delay fuels speculation that the government intends to introduce a key legislation, possibly an amendment to the women's reservation law, without convening a new session. The proposed amendment aims for a 50 per cent seat expansion to address concerns over delimitation.
Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra expressed confidence in GST.
The Retailers Association of India (RAI) has voiced concerns that the government's new 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 could reverse the progress of digital payment adoption among small retailers. This fee, effective October 15, places the burden on merchants operating on thin margins, potentially pushing them back to cash transactions and undermining the government's formalisation agenda, especially ahead of the festive season.
Consumer products like mobile phones and laptops may become cheaper as the overall taxes on goods are likely to come down
India's MSME sector faces a significant formal credit gap of approximately Rs 60 lakh crore, with traditional channels meeting only a fraction of the demand. A new report suggests that a centralised, interoperable digital layer could effectively bridge this gap and enhance productivity across the formal business sector by digitising workflows and enabling cash-flow-based underwriting.
The GST bill was earlier planned to be introduced from April 1.
'UPI has been free since Covid, so why is the government charging us now?'
The Congress party has strongly criticised the Modi government's decision to introduce a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions over Rs 2,000, alleging it is a result of US pressure to benefit American card companies. The party also linked this move to broader US actions against India, including tariffs and H-1B visa issues, coining the term "Narendra's Ongoing Trump Appeasement." The government, however, clarified that consumers will not bear the charge, which applies only to merchants.
Police in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, have uncovered a GST fraud involving the misuse of a GST ID to misappropriate approximately Rs 7 crore. The investigation revealed 13 fake firms allegedly used to generate bogus bills.
Police in Lucknow busted a gang that misused the Mudra loan scheme to create fake GST firms and commit input tax credit fraud worth approximately Rs 1.3 crore.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. This move ends nearly six years of fully free UPI payments, though person-to-person (P2P) transfers and small P2M payments remain free. The charges aim to bolster investment in UPI infrastructure, with specific exemptions and caps for essential sectors.
The finance minister is "reasonably confident" that when it comes to the crunch, "it would be extremely difficult even for the Congress party to take a contrarian view" on the GST Bill.
The Centre is likely to introduce the Central GST and integrated GST bills in late November or early December in the ongoing session in the form of money Bills.
The Congress party has accused the Indian government of imposing new charges on UPI transactions due to pressure from the United States, specifically to benefit American card companies. The opposition party demanded the withdrawal of the decision, calling it "anti-national" and alleging it fills the coffers of US firms while burdening Indian citizens. The government, however, clarified that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges apply only to commercial transactions above Rs 2,000 and are not levied on consumers, a stance supported by the BJP which accused Congress of spreading "fake news".
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% transaction fee on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments exceeding Rs 2,000 for merchants, effective October 15, marking the end of nearly six years of free service. Person-to-person transfers and small-value transactions below Rs 2,000 remain free. The new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) is capped at Rs 300 for transactions above Rs 75,000, with differentiated rates for essential sectors and investments, and safeguards to prevent costs from being passed to consumers.
Offering an olive branch to the Opposition to get the GST bill passed, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is willing to speak to everyone to get the landmark indirect tax law through.
Senior leaders within the Congress now say the party could accommodate the government's argument that the GST rate cannot be stipulated within the Constitution.
While the government has the option of ensuring the passage of these Bills as money Bills, there are voices within the government advising discretion on the GST roll-out by April 1.
Modi must focus on other state-level reforms, such as those in labour laws, leasing of land and agriculture
Kapil Chugh, accused of masterminding a Rs 1,825 crore GST refund fraud, has been arrested by DGGI officers upon his return from Dubai. He is alleged to have evaded investigation and is wanted in other economic criminal cases.
Opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, and RJD, have strongly criticised the government's decision to impose a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000 made to merchants. They allege the move is a result of "American imperialism" and will lead to increased commodity prices, while the government maintains the charge is on merchants and not consumers, with person-to-person transactions remaining free.
The opposition has intensified its criticism of the government's decision to impose a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, effective October 15. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Jairam Ramesh allege the move is a result of US pressure, particularly from American card companies, and demand an immediate rollback, warning of increased costs for consumers.
The opposition has strongly criticised the government's decision to introduce a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 for merchants, effective October 15. They allege the move is a result of US pressure and will lead to increased commodity prices, calling it a "betrayal" of the common man. The government, however, clarifies that customers will not be charged, and the MDR applies only to merchants for larger transactions.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Gulam Nabi Azad approached leader of the house Arun Jaitley, saying that he is accompanying Sonia Gandhi to Varanasi on Tuesday.
On the macroeconomic data front, PMI data on manufacturing and services sector will also influence trading
Jaitley promised the states that they would be fully compensated for any loss of revenue arising from implementation of GST.
