top of page

By:

Correspondent

21 August 2024 at 10:20:16 am

Fee Signal

The government’s decision to create a legal framework for levying charges on UPI transactions has understandably triggered concern, even though it insists that ordinary users and small merchants will continue to enjoy free payments. The proposed amendment does not impose a fee on UPI today. But it removes the statutory barrier to one being imposed in the future, making the government’s reassurance less than the final word. The government argues that this is a measure for UPI’s long-term...

Fee Signal

The government’s decision to create a legal framework for levying charges on UPI transactions has understandably triggered concern, even though it insists that ordinary users and small merchants will continue to enjoy free payments. The proposed amendment does not impose a fee on UPI today. But it removes the statutory barrier to one being imposed in the future, making the government’s reassurance less than the final word. The government argues that this is a measure for UPI’s long-term sustainability. The world’s largest real-time payments system, which processed 2,366 crore transactions worth Rs. 29.9 lakh crore in July alone, cannot indefinitely depend on subsidies as transaction volumes, cybersecurity requirements and infrastructure costs rise. A nominal Merchant Discount Rate on larger merchant transactions, it says, would help create a more sustainable ecosystem without burdening ordinary users. That argument has merit. But so does the concern that a payment system which became a national habit precisely because it was cheap and frictionless should not slowly acquire a price tag. Once the legal machinery for charging exists, there is no guarantee that the boundary between large merchants and small ones, or between merchants and consumers, will remain permanently fixed. The Finance Minister has clarified that any Merchant Discount Rate will apply only to a limited set of merchant transactions above a threshold and will be nominal, well below card-payment rates. The details will eventually be decided by the UPI and Services Steering Committee headed by the National Payments Corporation of India. In other words, there is no charge on the table for the ordinary UPI user today. But there is now a legal mechanism for charges to be introduced tomorrow. That is precisely why any alarm, though exaggerated, cannot simply be dismissed. The government, through its clarification, has reassured that UPI’s free-to-consumer model remains intact. The important issue is whether its financing model can evolve without undermining the habits that made it revolutionary. UPI succeeded partly because it made digital payments cheaper and simpler than alternatives. There is also a larger principle at stake. UPI is not merely another commercial payments platform. It is the product of public investment, regulatory architecture and private innovation. The state should therefore be wary of treating its sustainability as an ordinary market problem. The sensible answer lies between free-for-all subsidies and indiscriminate fees: transparent thresholds, genuinely low MDRs, strong protection for small merchants and an absolute firewall around ordinary consumers. The government should publish the economic case for any future charge, including its effect on merchants and consumers. UPI was built on trust as much as technology. The government is right to protect its remarkable achievement. It should remember that keeping UPI free is not merely a political promise. It is part of the product.

A Nation Unsafe for Women

In a nation that celebrates its women as embodiments of strength and resilience—from goddesses in mythology to leaders in modern boardrooms, the persistent surge in crimes against them paints a damning picture of societal failure. The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2022-2024 reveals not just isolated incidents but a disturbing national trend that demands immediate introspection and action. As India strides toward economic superpower status, the safety of half its population remains perilously compromised, turning homes, streets and workplaces into arenas of fear rather than empowerment.


Stark Numbers

The NCRB’s Table 3A.1 on Crimes Against Women (under IPC and SLL) lays bare the escalating crisis. Across India, reported cases have climbed steadily: from 4,45,256 in 2022 to 4,48,221 in 2023, reaching a staggering 4,73,510 in 2024. This represents a concerning upward trajectory, with the rate of crimes against women (per lakh population) standing at 64.6 in 2024. While charge-sheeting rates hover around 83-84%, conviction outcomes often lag, underscoring systemic delays in justice delivery.

 

State-wise disparities amplify the alarm. Uttar Pradesh consistently records the highest absolute numbers, with cases rising from 25,100 in 2022 to over 31,000 by 2024. Rajasthan follows as a major hotspot, alongside Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal, each contributing thousands of additional incidents annually. Union Territories like Delhi paint an even bleaker urban picture, with rates exceeding 130 per lakh in some years, reflecting the vulnerabilities of dense metropolitan life. Southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, often lauded for social indicators are not immune, showing notable increases in specific categories. The mid-year projected population figures contextualize these rates, revealing that even ‘progressive’ regions are failing to stem the tide.

 

These are not mere numbers; they translate into lives shattered by rape, domestic violence, molestation and cybercrimes. The data highlights a post-pandemic surge, where lockdowns may have hidden abuses within homes while economic stresses exacerbated tensions. What was once whispered about as ‘women’s issues’ has ballooned into a public health and developmental emergency, eroding trust in institutions and deterring women's full participation in society.

 

Deep-Rooted Failures

The growth in crimes against women stems from a toxic interplay of patriarchal mindsets, inadequate enforcement and socio-economic pressures. At its core lies entrenched gender inequality. Despite legal reforms like the 2013 Criminal Law (Amendment) Act and the 2020 POCSO enhancements, implementation remains patchy. The police forces, often under-resourced and overburdened, exhibit low sensitivity toward gender-based cases. Delayed FIR registrations, victim-blaming during investigations and political interference frequently result in low conviction rates, emboldening perpetrators.

 

Urbanization and rapid social change have compounded the problem. Migration to cities disrupts traditional support systems, leaving women more exposed in unfamiliar environments. The digital explosion has birthed new threats, online harassment and deepfake abuse - yet cybercrime cells struggle with capacity and awareness. Economic disparities play a role too: poverty, unemployment and alcohol abuse within families correlate strongly with domestic violence spikes. In rural heartlands, caste and honour-based violence persist, while in elite circles, power imbalances enable workplace exploitation.

 

Cultural factors cannot be ignored. Bollywood’s objectification, regressive family norms and selective outrage on social media normalize violence. Education, while expanding, often fails to instil gender sensitivity, leaving young men unprepared for egalitarian relationships. Weak child protection and poor mental health infrastructure mean cycles of trauma perpetuate across generations. The NCRB figures, though improved in reporting due to greater awareness via schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, likely underrepresent the true scale, as stigma silences countless survivors.


Addressing this crisis requires more than rhetoric. Governments must prioritize gender budgeting, strengthening police training, fast-track courts and one-stop centers for comprehensive support. Community-led initiatives like sensitization drives in schools and villages, robust helplines and tech-enabled safety apps can bridge gaps. Corporate India and civil society must champion workplace safety and bystander intervention. Crucially, men must be enlisted as allies, dismantling toxic masculinity through education and accountability.

 

The data from 2022-2024 is a wake-up call, not a verdict of inevitable decline. India’s demographic dividend hinges on securing women’s agency. By confronting these uncomfortable truths with data-driven policies and cultural shifts, we can forge a safer tomorrow. Our daughters deserve better than statistics of suffering, they deserve a nation that stands fiercely in their defence.


(The writer is a former college Principal and Founder of Supporting Shoulders, an Odisha-based non-profit Trust. Views personal.)

Comments

bottom of page