Facing shortage in cash for the first pay day since demonetisation was rolled out, many employers are trying to find ways to pay domestic workers without parting with their currency. From paying for groceries with debit or credit cards to paying rent via cheques, many employers across the National Capital Region (NCR) have come up with alternatives.
A resident of Vasant Kunj in south Delhi, Rashmi Sharma, said she had been fearing December 1 ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes on November 8.
“At the end of the month, I don’t have enough cash to pay my maid. I have offered to buy groceries for her,” Ms. Sharma said, adding that her maid had not agreed yet.
Barter system
For Sudha, a resident of Vaishali in neighbouring Ghaziabad, the ‘barter’ system has returned as a result of the cash crisis. “Since I am short on cash, I offered to buy vegetables, fruits, soap and other commodities for my maid. She has asked me to buy the articles for her in instalments,” she said.
Gita, who works as a cleaner at a few homes in Noida, said that one of her employers offered to pay her rent by writing a cheque to the landlord in lieu of part of the salary. However, her landlord is yet to agree.
Though the alternatives are innovative, many domestic workers said payment in kind or in cheques will not allow them to save.
“I used to save half of my salary and use the other half to buy ration. However, now my employers do not have cash so they are buying groceries for me. I won’t be able to save money. If I have an emergency, I will have no cash in my hand,” said Begum Kumari, who works as a maid in Gurugram.
To counter this, some people are dividing the salary payment in two halves. “I have decided to buy groceries and other things for my maid for Rs.1,000 and pay the remaining Rs.300 in cash. This will be easy for me and she will also get some cash in hand,” said Rajan Sareen, a resident of Gurugram.
Others, however, said that they made sure they had enough money to pay their domestic workers. “They may not have access to cards or bank accounts. Employers should try and pay them with cash and use cards for personal use,” said Neeru Sakhuja, a Rohini resident who will be paying her maid in cash.
(The writer is an intern with The Hindu)
