‘May have to go back to village’

November 28, 2016 12:00 am | Updated December 02, 2016 05:56 pm IST - New Delhi:

Eight years ago, Kamala Devi came to Delhi with her family of six in search of a better life. The zamindar back in her village in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district had sold off his farmland, leaving both her husband and her jobless.

Now settled in a slum in east Delhi’s Karkardooma, Ms. Devi works as a domestic help. Earning a few thousands every month, she never felt the need to open a bank account. Only her husband and she have Aadhaar cards. Her children don’t have identity cards since she never felt the need nor had any long-term plans to stay in Delhi.

“The money is so less that by the end of the month, we have to scrounge for meals. Those who have extra money need to put it in an account. It is not for people like us,” she said.

‘Can’t open bank account’

A mother of four daughters and one son, Ms. Devi’s husband is a tuberculosis patient and stays at home. None of her children have been to school. “We all have to work to run the house.”

The family took a big hit when demonetisation was announced. The couple’s Aadhaar cards have the address of their native Ahirohi village. She claimed that bank officials turned her away saying she can open a bank account only in her village.

What’s worse is that Ms. Devi’s employers gave her monthly salary in advance, but in old currency notes. She currently has Rs.15,000 in the old Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes, and has been waiting for the queues to reduce to exchange the old notes.

“Many people from my neighbourhood stood in queues, but couldn’t get their notes exchanged as banks ran out of cash. I am waiting for the queues to get smaller.”

With the Centre recently ordering a stop on any more exchange of old notes, Ms. Devi is panicking. Someone in her neighbourhood had told her that the police would arrest her husband for having the old Rs.500 notes. Somebody even told her to burn the money to avoid going to jail. “I have asked my employers to give me Rs.100 notes. They have agreed to help, but can’t exchange all my money”.

No way out

While the old notes can be used to procure basic necessities such as milk and vegetables, Ms. Devi said the Mother Dairy booth and Safal shop in-charge have agreed to take Rs.500 notes only if she makes a purchase for the whole amount.

“They refuse to give back change. I don’t have a refrigerator to store so much milk,” Ms. Devi said.

Her daily commute to work costs Rs.40 and with little change in hand, she is contemplating going back to Ahirohi. “ Hum par qayamat toot padi hai [A catastrophe has befallen us].”

Hum par qayamat toot padi hai

(A catastrophe has befallen us)

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