Over 1,000 farmers of the Godbhaga area in Bargarh district have been standing in long queues in front of the Godbhaga Cooperative Bank to withdraw their hard-earned money to manage their basic needs following the cash crunch even after over one month of the demonetisation decision.
Among the farmers, a disabled person is Tikeswar Karna, who finds it difficult to stand for a minute but has to wait for hours at the bank gate daily.
“I have to consult a doctor. I am standing in the queue for several days to withdraw the money I had earned by selling paddy. Though my share has already been deposited in my bank account, I find it difficult to withdraw the money due to the scarcity of notes at the bank,” said Tikeswar.
All the farmers depending on the larambha, lahandaare and Tamparasara Cooperative Societies are facing the same problem after standing in queues from as early as 3 am every day.
Farmers coming from 10 km to 15 km away have no options left but only to wait for six to seven hours a day at a time when they should be engaged in Rabi farming.
Many farmers are putting their passbooks on ground to reserve their turn in the queues due to unavailability of time which is often leading to tension at the spot. “I have to wait in the queue from 4 am to lessen the burden on me,” said Devraj Pradhan, an elderly man of Khaliapali.
“The Kharif crop has already been sold out, and we are busy in Rabi crop cultivation. Almost all farmers have to make labour payments of the Kharif farming, for which cash is a necessity,” he added.
“The money withdrawal limit of the bank has worsened the situation as the bank is failing to give the permitted amount of money citing cash shortage,” he concluded.
“The bank needs `1.5 crore daily for smooth transaction while we are getting only `20 lakh failing to manage the cash withdrawal demand of farmers,” said manager in charge of Godbhaga Cooperative Bank Srikrushna Padhi.