GST Council Decisions Offer Relief to Traders; MDR Implementation Deferred

The 57th GST Council announced several decisions welcomed by the Nagpur Chamber of Commerce Ltd, which stated the changes would provide relief to small businesses and traders. Separately, the Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry & Trade noted that the government might defer the implementation of a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate on UPI merchant transactions above Rs 2,000 until January 1, 2027.

The decisions address demands for simpler GST compliance, faster refunds, and protection of Input Tax Credit, which is expected to reduce operational friction for businesses. The potential deferral of the MDR charge offers relief to merchants regarding transaction costs.