November 8 remains in people’s memory as the day of demonetisation. Many things have changed in people’s lives since the day a year ago when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced scrapping of high-denomination currency notes – `500 and `1000 – in a bid to contain black money circulation in the country. Long queues in front of banks and ATMs and the harrowing experience of farmers, traders, students and housewives as fallout of the move have been recaptured by Orissa POST team. Excerpt
I remember the day when demonetisation came into being. It shattered the middle class aspiration of saving money for a cause. The government had scrapped all my hardearned savings. Common people like me who spend money in a systematic way had to stand in long queues outside the banks. They had reduced withdrawal limit and we did not have cash to buy grocery. You cannot give ATM cards to vegetable vendors at the market. It was horrible to think about it now.
Bikash Rout, Businessman
Long queue at the medicine stores and banks became routine scenes during that time. We did not have faith in the government’s assurance. After a couple of days banks refused to pay and ATMs were shuttered down. Although they talked of cashless transactions no provisions store or hotel was willing to take out ATM cards. The middle class was the worst-hit.
Pradyumna Pati, engineer
Government should have taken a decision by taking people into confidence. The move created panic across the country. All available cash in my house had gone. We couldn’t wait in the queues outside the bank as we had to cook food for the family and kids. We had to pay fees and schools were not taking ATM cards or cheques.
Megha Viswakarma, Housewife
I was using debit card but many of my friends were still using cash. For them, it was a tough situation. The government can’t force such decision on the people. There should be transparency and scope for all kinds of transactions.
Sibaram Deo, Engineer
The note ban decision had proved that the government had not analysed the scenario. The government could have created a backup plan to compensate unforeseen damage. The government and RBI was changing the rules every day . The small vendors, farmers and people
had to suffer miserably.
Prabhu Satpathy, Engineer
For me demonetisation was a joke of the year. What’s wrong with the government, why did we have only two kinds of notes, `50 and `100? Last year, on this day, I was one of those who were standing in front of an ATM at midnight, thanks to Ache Din.
Akshaya Kumar Rath, Lawyer
I can’t forget how helpless I felt at that time after all `500 and `1000 notes were rejected. The daily visit to banks and ATMs was just too much.
Monalisha Nath, Housewife
For small expenditures we had to pay more. If I had a `500 note, in exchange I used to receive Rs 400 only. Imagine my plight, when I couldn’t pay my tuition fees on time, thanks to demonetisation. Going cashless wasn’t easy for everyone. Every morning, I use to check all ATMs along road hoping to get some money.
Nirlipta Panigrahi, Student
I personally faced some problems, but I think it has stopped black money up to a certain extent. In order to clean graft and black money we had to sacrifice. So why complain now? Manjarika Mishra, Business woman The poor people’s plight was more vulnerable. Village farmers who had sold their grain and saved money for future use were in deep trouble. Don’t want to remember that day. Even old people had to stand in long queues with cheques to draw money…
Rashmi Rekha Mishra, Secretariat employee