Even as all major Opposition parties in the country have declared an all India hartal on Monday against the demonetisation of currency notes of Rs 500/- and Rs 1,000/- denominations citing hardship faced by people, local body authorities in Tamil Nadu are laughing their way to the nearest banks.
The Greater Chennai Corporation has collected Rs 80 crore since November 11 through 300 tax centres set up in various places across the city, according to officials of Chennai Corporation. “This is a windfall for the Greater Chennai Corporation. Collection during the last financial year was less than Rs 30 crore,” said a corporation official on condition of anonymity.
Another official said the figure marked a jump of 200 per cent than what it was in the last year. “This is a record collection for the Greater Chennai Corporation in the last 50 years,” said the official with a chuckle. He agreed that collection drive was helped by the demonetisation of high value currency notes by the Prime Minister. “We accepted the tax in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. The collection drive got over on Thursday,” he said.
Many development and civic works of the Chennai Corporation has come to a standstill following cash crunch. “ We hope to resume all emergency works soon now that the cash box is full,” said the official.
Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, most local bodies have reported unprecedented increase in their tax collection. “Revenue from taxes has shot up thanks to this demonetisation. We are breathing easy after a long time,” said an official of Madurai Corporation. In deep south, officials of Nagercoil municipality were in for a surprise as tax collection drive was beyond their expectation.
Nawab, a small shop keeper in a Chennai suburb said his sales has come down by Rs 1,000 per day since November 8 when the Prime Minister announced the decision. But Subramanian Sasidharan, a businessman dealing in timber and plywood with operations in all south Indian States said it was business as usual. “I have not faced any problems as my dealings are all transparent. Initially there was some hitch due to the shortage of currency notes of small denominations. But it has been addressed since last week,” said Sasidharan.
Brinda Karat, leader of the CPI(M) who is campaigning in Tamil Nadu against the Union Government said the demonetisation was like taking out 80 per cent of blood from a sick human being and giving back hardly 10 per cent. “The drive is sure to fail and it has caused severe hardship to all people in the country,” slammed the CPI(M) leader while addressing public meetings in Chennai on Sunday.