New Delhi: There will be no extra charge for card transactions at petrol pumps, the government decided today after petrol pump owners threatened to stop accepting cards. Petrol pumps will also continue to accept card payments.
“Consumers will not pay extra for digital transactions,” Minister of State for Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan said after a meeting. There would be no burden on retail fuel outlets as well, he said.
According to the minister, banks and oil firms are in discussion on who will bear the extra cost charged by banks on card payments.After the government stepped in, petrol pumps deferred their move to stop credit and debit card transactions till January 13.
To promote cash-less transactions, the government had waived the Merchant Discount Rate on fuel purchase post demonetisation for consumers. But after the 50-day window, the banks decided to resume the charge on petrol pump owners.
