In the Western Ghats of Karnataka, money is being rationed'

Bangady: The long queues usually seen at PDS shops in   Bangady, a  village in the foothills of the Western Ghats, are now seen outside its banks, which too are 'rationing' their money, leaving the people  hamstrung for cash.

With the local Cooperative Bank not receiving the new currency notes as yet all the people of over  10 villages in the region are depending on a nationalised bank to provide them the cash they need. "Even if people stand in a queue at the bank, they are able to get only Rs 4,000 and that  too in notes of 2000 which we find difficult to change," complained Mr Satish, a businessman.

But bank officials have their own story to tell. “We fill the ATM with cash at 8 am and in  an hour or two the money is gone. We have limited amount at our disposal. All  100 rupee notes are dispensed at the ATMs and those who come to the bank are given the Rs 2,000 notes," they explained.

Admitting that money was being rationed,  the officials justified it,  saying, " If we do not restrict withdrawal then only a few may get their cash and  others will have nothing.”

Shopkeepers  too are affected in the villages as cash-less people are buying things from them on credit. " Villagers have no money and so the number taking goods on credit has increased," said Honnappa, a shop owner in Killur village.

Also severely hit are rickshaw drivers. "When we take passengers to interior places we charge Rs 150 to 250. But people pay us with the old  500 rupee notes, which we are not supposed to accept.  But we cannot  refuse them either as we don’t know when  we will get to meet the passengers concerned again," said Satish, a rickshaw driver. But despite the inconvenience most  seem happy with the demonetisaton.

"It is true that we are being inconvenienced for now, but we need to appreciate the move to fight black money," said a farmer, Balakrishna.