Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a pitch for reducing cash transactions across the country, the BJP in Goa on Tuesday said, that the deadline set by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to make Goa, India’s first cashless State could be unrealistic.
In a Press conference addressed at the State BJP headquarters in Panaji, spokesperson Damu Naik and State general secretary Sadanand Shet Tanavade, also demanded an immediate withdrawal of a circular issued by the Goa Government’s commercial taxes department last week, which had directed that all traders and businesses registered with the department work out mechanisms to go cashless in 10 days.
“Flower or fruit vendors or motorcycle pilots (motorcycle taxi drivers) cannot go cashless immediately. They need to be trained to operate cashlessly. More awareness should be there... The circular needs to be withdrawn immediately as it is causing panic among people,” Naik told reporters.
“There will be some hardship. That may not be possible to that extent. It will be very difficult because tourists come, domestic tourists come. They should be made literate first,” Naik said, when asked if December 30 was a realistic target for Goa going cashless.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on November 26, had chaired a meeting with the top bankers and bureaucrats in the state, where modalities were discussed to make Goa a cashless state by December 30.
The resolve to make Goa cashless, was also announced on numerous occasions by BJP leaders, during the ongoing Vijay Sankalp rallies which are being organized by the party ahead of state assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held in early 2017.
Some days after Parrikar’s meeting, the state commercial tax department issued a circular asking all registered traders and businesses work out mechanisms to go cashless and that checks would be made by tax officials to ensure compliance after 10 days.
The circular was addressed to manufacturers, dealers, retailers, wholesalers and all registered dealers under the central sales tax, value added tax, luxury tax, entertainment tax bracket.
BJP State general secretary Sadanand Shet Tanavade now said, that the party had demanded that the circular should be immediately withdrawn by the Chief Minister, who is also the State Finance Minister, because it was causing panic within the trader community.
“We all agree with the cashless concept. We should be heading towards it. But there should be no deadline for it. There should be more awareness and education among the traders first before setting of deadlines,” Tanavade said.