When Tandra Lakshmi, a woman farmer from Pargi mandal of Vikarabad district, offered a Rs.2000 currency note to the daily wage labourers who had worked on her fields, the response was unexpected.
Though she approached them with some trepidation, she was totally taken aback when a woman labourer almost tore the note in her face.
“They got very angry, and asked how they could share the money among themselves, when all they wanted was Rs.250 per head. One woman almost tore the note in her hand, saying that was how they could share it,” Lakshmi recalled.
But Lakshmi was helpless, and in rage herself, after arguing herself hoarse with the bank employees for Rs.100 notes.“They said the choice was these notes or no notes at all. I couldn’t return empty handed after standing in the queue for a whole day without food,” she said.
The neighbouring mandal of Kulkacherla too faced issues with long queues before the sole public sector bank in its headquarters. Though there are branches of rural cooperative banks, they are not receiving any new currency as of now.
High demand
“We have to forgo a day’s wages to stand in queue and exchange money. The exchange too has been cut down to Rs.2000 now. ATMs are not working anywhere,” says Ramavath Kishore, from Kulkacherla.
In view of the onset of yearly migration to Mumbai in search of work, which is rampant from this part of the state, labourers are scrambling for quick withdrawal of money.
Many farmers too are on the losing end while selling their Kharif harvest, as well as while buying seed for the upcoming rabi season.
“Sowing should begin for rabi now. But even government seed cooperatives are not accepting the demonetised currency for seed. Nor are they accepting Rs.2000 notes,” said Potharaju Istari from Turkapalli mandal of Yadadri district.
The sole SBI branch in Turkapally has to serve people from 20 gram panchayats. The bank has not been exchanging old currency since beginning, but only accepting deposits, Istari says.
No cash with buyers
Lakshmi could not receive payment for the sale of her maize harvest, as the trader offered to pay in old currency.
“He said he can pay in new currency only after three months. I am reluctant to take old notes, because I am sick of standing in a line,” she says.
Purchases in market yards came down too, as vouched by farmers’ representatives from various districts at a round table meeting organised by the Telangana Rythu JAC on Saturday.
The situation of horticulturists and floriculturists is particularly pathetic.“We are forced to dump the vegetables for lack of takers. After paying Rs.200 per head for plucking roses and chrysanthemums, all we got was Rs.10 per kilogram,” lamented Ram Reddy from Chevella Rythu Sangham.
Rich farmers are not bringing their harvest to market yard, while the poor have no means to keep it at their homes.
