Demonetisation: Central official in Nagaland to study situation

DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 22 : With the demonetisation of the Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes as announced on November 8 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government of India has constituted a 32-member team of officers tasked with visiting the states and meet with stakeholders to study the situation produced by the demonetisation. Joint Secretary of Ministry of Minority Affairs and in-charge of Nagaland Jan-E-Alam addressed media persons on Tuesday at Circuit House in Dimapur after meeting with stakeholders and bank representatives. He informed that the decision by the government was disseminated on November 21. The team of officers will be assessing the status of the situation and submit a report by November 25. Also present in the meeting was Deputy Commissioner Dimapur Kesonyu Yhome. The decision by the central government was to assess availability of cash in the region, level of demand, and to examine the facilities provided by the banks besides status of calibration of the ATMs, he said. While the ATMs in Dimapur are running out of lower denomination notes, Jan-E-Alam admitted that the State was facing a shortage of said denominations. Nonetheless, he said interactions with bank representatives have suggested that the situation in Nagaland was better compared to other states in the country. The joint secretary was not aware that banks in Dimapur and ATMs had run out of lower denomination notes while the new Rs 2000 notes were in adequate supply. This has been creating more inconveniences for the people. When the matter was brought to his notice, Jan-E-Alam assured that the circulation of money will increase to easing the inconveniences. When queried about how much deposits banks in Nagaland have received after the demonetisation, the joint secretary asserted that the banks could not furnish the figure but that it would be done after the meeting at Kohima scheduled for November 23. Fourteen days after the demonetisation, Nagaland is yet to receive the new Rs 500 notes. Jan-E-Alam said ‘only the RBI officials will be able to respond on the delay’ while saying that printing of the new Rs 500 was in process. The official also pointed out that even after the notice to exchange the Rs 1000 and Rs 500 demonetised notes at post offices, follow-up was not that ‘visible’ in Nagaland. The issue has to be raised along with the other reports, it was informed. Although the joint secretary is scheduled to visit only Dimapur and Kohima, he expressed interest to visiting interior areas to get a better picture of the situation.