Having unconditional extending unconditional support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation move, Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao is now seems to be sensing heat of it. He and his ministers are unable to ignore ground realities and started questioning lapses in its implementation. They have also realised that they need to assert themselves so that the public discontent should not focus towards them.
Finance Minister Eatala Rajender today deplored that out of Rs 20,000 crore, Telangana so far received Rs 17,500 crore comprising 96 per cent of Rs 2,000 notes while only 4 per cent were in smaller denomination.
Speaking at a meeting of bankers and RBI officials in Hyderabad, he pointed out that the people were facing severe hardships due to non-availability of currency in smaller denomination. He demanded the RBI to pump in Rs 5,000 crore in smaller denomination to Telangana to overcome the shortage of small currency notes.
Though he didn’t specifically mentioned centre’s inefficiency in dealing with the situation, he didn’t mince words by expressing shock over diversion of crores of rupees in the form of Rs 2000 notes by middlemen. He alleged that some bank officials colluded with brokers to divert new currency and demanded the Centre to punish all those involved in the diversion of new currency to influential persons.
Later in the day, conducting a review on demonetisation effects, Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao also expressed his displeasure over non-availability of sufficient number of swipe machines to encourage cashless transactions. He also mentioned how banks are ill-equipped to meet the situation.
Referring to government’s numerous efforts to convert Siddipet assembly constituency as the first constituency in the country having cashless transactions, he asked banks this should be taken as a `lesson’ for them to identify their lapses to raise to the occasion.
He is hopeful this would help for them to correct and strengthen themselves all over the state. After making the constituency as first cashless constituency, Chief Minister also indicated that efforts would be made to make Siddipet district as the first cashless district in the country.
