Move on currency hits rural economy hard, labour denied payments

Tribune News Service 

Amritsar, December 3 

Demonetisation has hit the rural economy as urbanites are deprived of cash and they are demanding time from their milkmen, vegetable sellers and fodder sellers for making payments. A milkman by profession, Raj Singh of Nawanpind in the district comes to the city for distributing 10 kg of milk to his customers along with selling 50 kg to private dairy owners. He lamented that all of his customers and the diary owner had postponed paying his dues due to the impact of demonetisation.

He said, “I was asked to wait by my clients, so I am frustrated now”. “The government is putting stress on cashless economy, but I want to make it clear that I am not ready to carry swap machines with me while selling milk yet”.

Shinder Pal, a vegetable grower from Jandiala, said, “I had cultivated peas and potatoes this season after major investment but I am not getting the payment for my yield from vegetable agents in the market”. He said “I had committed a major mistake by cultivating peas, as I am unable to pay the money which I had borrowed for its cultivation from various sources”. “I have cultivated cauliflower and facing major financial constraints with the decision of demonetization, lamented Jagmeet Singh, a resident of Pandori. 

He said “I am unable to purchase wheat seed in the absence of cash and it is becoming a major reason for later sowing of crop”. “I am not having cash to buy pesticides/herbicides for fields as city-based retailers are declining to give commodities on credit”.

Surjeet Singh, a resident of Khaira, said, “I am not getting the payment for my paddy production from arhtiyas. I fail to understand the decision made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”