Cash shortage: Farmers protest outside bank

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 19

The effects of demonetisation can still be seen on farmers who are looking for cash in hand to carry on with their farming. Farmers on Wednesday held a dharna in front of the Cooperative Bank in Rampura town demanding cash. The farmers, who lacked cash to get insecticides or pesticides to spray over their wheat crop, claimed that bank officials were denying cash from the past many days.

They claimed that for wheat and for vegetables crops, especially chilli crop, farmers needed cash to disburse among farm labourers. The Cooperative Bank used to give Rs 2,000 each to farmers. “We need the cash to purchase our pesticides and insecticides. There is no other option for us to purchase these items related with agriculture. Most of the farmers are unaware of using ATMs at shops while many still don’t have bank accounts. Shopkeepers too claim that they don’t have machines to get money transacted and we too don’t know the online banking system. We have borrowed our farming necessities from shopkeepers earlier. How will we go to those shopkeepers again to purchase more farming items without cash? ” said, farmer leader Arjun Singh.

Nearly ten days ago, farmers in Barnala had gheraoed the bank and blocked the main road after they were annoyed over daily refusals by the bank for cash. They claimed that their crops would not be nurtured if, in the coming month, they do not get cash to disburse among labourers and pay to shopkeepers for their agricultural appliances or other requirements. Earlier, farmers were complaining of not getting the required amount of urea following demonetisation while the cooperative societies had closed doors on numerous farmers.

“The rush at ATMs and the banks had not declined despite the assurance by Prime Minister who claimed that pain would remain only for 50 days and would end by December 31. Farmers and labourers are the prime sufferers,” said, BKU Ugraha leader Ram Singh Bhenibagha.