The State Assembly was on Friday adjourned twice till 3 pm over short supply of `100, `50, `20 and `10 notes post demonetisation and problems faced by people in the State.
Both Congress and ruling BJD members demanded a statement from Finance Minister Pradip Kuamr Amat; and finally, Deputy Speaker Sananda Marandi gave a ruling in their favour.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said sale of vegetables and other crops in rural haats in Koraput and Bargarh districts and other parts of the State has been severely hit due to unavailability currency notes of the denominations of `100, `50, `20 and `10. As a result, truckloads of tomato and other vegetables are being thrown away by farmers in the haats.
“If the situation persists, farmers would be forced to commit suicide. The Chief Minister has supported the Modi Government’s demonetisation policy. Kindly, ask the Finance Minister to give a statement in the House as to what steps the State Government has taken or is going to take to resolve the problem,” demanded Bahinipati.
As the Deputy Speaker didn’t pay heed to Bahinipati’s statement and called BJD’s Sameer Ranjan Dash to speak, Bahinipati along with his other Congress colleagues trouped into the Well of the House and continued placing the demand.
Meanwhile, Dash, who was speaking, alleged that the Union Government has failed to supply currency changes adequately, for which people are still standing in large queues at ATMs.
“People have suffered a lot. The Union Government should have made prior preparations before declaring demonetisation,” said Dash.
Unable to run, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House at 11.37 for 15 minutes and then till 3 pm.
When the House reassembled, BJD member Amar Prasad Satpathy too raised the issue and sought a statement from the Finance Minister. This time, the Deputy Speaker directed the Minister to make a statement.
In his statement, the Minister admitted that small and marginal farmers are not getting cash for Rabi cultivation. He said banks are getting one-third of the cash required. There is an acute shortage of `100, `500 notes in the State, he said.
He said the State Government would continue to take up the problems being faced by the people with the Centre.