States » NorthPosted at: Sep 18 2026 10:15AM


Mayawati attacks govt over UPI fees and smart school scheme, says it will increase financial burden on public

Lucknow, Sept 18 (UNI) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has criticised the Central government over the new UPI fees, which will come into effect on October 15, and the Uttar Pradesh government's plan to convert 14,429 primary schools into smart schools.
She said that instead of imposing additional financial burdens on the general public already struggling with inflation and unemployment, the government should focus more on public welfare policies.
In a statement released on the social media platform 'X' on Friday, Mayawati said that after initially promoting UPI digital transactions, now imposing fees on them is natural, causing uneasiness and anger among the people.
She said that the government should consider the impact before accepting a system that imposes an additional financial burden on the public.
It is worth noting that under the new provision, a 0.4 % merchant discount rate (MDR) will be applicable on select business UPI transactions exceeding ₹2,000 from October 15.
However, according to the Finance Ministry, this fee will not be charged to customers, and individual UPI transactions and approximately 96 percent of merchant transactions will be exempt from the fee.
Mayawati said that a large population of the country is affected by inflation, poverty, and unemployment. Therefore, government policies should provide relief to the common people and alleviate their financial difficulties.
The BSP chief also questioned the Uttar Pradesh government's plan to convert 14,429 council primary schools into smart schools. She said that before providing digital facilities to children with this approximately ₹300 crore scheme, basic amenities should be ensured in schools.
She said that schools should fully provide basic amenities such as shelter, benches and chairs, books, toilets, playgrounds, and cleanliness. Mayawati urged the government to consider this initiative sympathetically.
On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved a proposal to develop 14,429 primary schools into smart schools. A budget provision of ₹300 crore has been made for this purpose, with an amount of approximately ₹2.07 lakh earmarked for each school. The plan calls for providing internet connectivity and information and communication technology (ICT) facilities.
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