The demonetisation move by the Central Government on Wednesday is likely to affect the over 850 small and big tea gardens in Assam even as some of the tea garden management has written to the concerned district administration for assistance, fearing law and order problems on payday, which is on Friday.
The management of the tea gardens in Assam are worried as labour wages is a sensitive issue in almost all the tea gardens and cash is still the only mode of transactions followed in most of the tea gardens that provide a livelihood to 10 lakh tea garden labourers in Assam.
“Friday or Saturday are the day for wages and ATMs and banks will remain closed till Thursday. Here are also limitations for withdrawal and it might be difficult to handle the situation on this Friday,” said Secretary of Tea Association of India, Guwahati, Dipanjal Deka. “We have written to the labour Commissioner to sensitise Deputy Commissioners and Superintendent of Police of the districts about the difficult situation that we might have to face on payday,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that with the Centre’s move, the business transactions remained very low across the State on Wednesday as most of the traders and salesman refused to accept Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes.
Amidst a chaos among a section of the people, Chief General Manager of the State Bank of India (North Eastern Circle), PVSlN Murty said, “Cash is being airlifted from Kolkata. We will ensure there is adequate cash in all the states of region. Normally cash comes to Assam via roadways, however, given the extraordinary situation we are bringing the same by airways.”
“In Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram airways will be used to send cash,” he said adding that the SBI across its 746 branches in the northeastern region will set up separate counters to assist in carrying out the exchanges of old and new currencies. “To clear the rush in initial days as bank opens the working hour of banks has been increased by at least 2 hours,” he added.
Murty said that SBI operating cost will be increased as 3,100 ATMS will need to be replenished twice daily. “Generally those were replenished once in 24 hours. However, it will be done twice in a day. CCTV will monitor branch operations across the region,” he said appealing to the people not to panic.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed the move of PM Narendra Modi and said this will assist in fight against the corruption and terrorism. The move will lead to an accelerated economic development of the Nation, he said.
“Black money posed a serious threat to our society and the announcement on scrapping Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes will not only eliminate the menace of black money, it will also act as a deterrent against fake currency and corruption,” he said.