People living in slum-areas — Gopalpur in North Delhi, Sonia Vihar in Northeast Delhi Sarita Vihar and Sangam Vihar in South East Delhi — are satisfied and happy with the demonetisation.
The Pioneer visited different slums across Delhi to gauge the mood of the lowest strata of society and found that residents supported the Union Government’s move.
However, they said they want job security as majority of them are daily wagers and depend on daily cash payments.
Talking about impact of demonetisation, Rinku Ram, a daily wager and a resident of Sangam Vihar, who came to the national Capital from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, said, “I am very happy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move. I was being paid Rs 350 per day before demonetisation. Now, employers are paying me Rs 500 per day in old currency notes. I accept old notes because I can earn Rs 2,000 or Rs 3,000 more than what I usually get. I deposit Rs 500 notes in my Jan-Dhan account. We are happy.”
Swati Devi, 32, a resident of a slum near Outram lane, said, “I am very happy with this move because people who have kala dhan (black money) are being punished. They never care for those who work for them and now they are paying for the sins they have committed.”
Hailing from Sitamadhi in Bihar and mother of two, Krisnawati, residing in Sonia Vihar slum, said she has no problem with currency ban as she had only two notes in Rs 500 denomination that she has already exchanged them. “My husband sells vegetables and earns a round of Rs 200 to Rs 300 daily and all we earn in lower denomination so nothing to worry. My life is going on as it was earlier,” she said.
Vishno, a rickshaw-puller living in Gopalpur slum of North Delhi, said, “We do not care what the Government is doing and not doing. We work hard, earn and feed our family. I had saved Rs 3,700 for my daughter that was already deposited and safe with bank so I have nothing to worry about.”
People mostly coming from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are living in these slums and earn their livelihood by pulling cycle rickshaws and are daily wagers or are engaged in small works. People in Sangam Vihar said, “Modi will first collect all the money from rich ones and then distribute it among the poor later.”
Janardhan Mehto, who teaches children in Sangam Vihar slum near Wazirabad, said, “I had saved up Rs 13,000 for repairing my house. Most of this money was in devalued denominations that I exchanged from banks in first three days. Who likes to stand in queue for long but we should not forget that it is not only the Government but we all are responsible for the changeIJ We all are encountering some problems in our daily life but when it comes to nation our support is with the Government.”