Government employees face cash crunch due to demonetisation

The demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes has disturbed the payment pattern of salaries, pensions and other dues of the government employees and most of them are dealing with a cash crunch too.

Tejpal Singh, who works as judicial assistant with a Delhi court, told IANS that he got Rs 10,000 in cash as advance at his desk and other staff members, excluding judges, too have got the same amount in cash in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000.

"The advance money which we have got as cash would be deducted from our salary of December," he said, adding that it was done to avoid rush at banks and ATMs on salary day.

"It was a good move, but arrangements should be made in such a way that people don't suffer much in need of cash in future," he said.

Kavita Rao, a senior staff nurse at Sucheta Kripalani Hospital, told IANS that all the nurses and other staff members, including doctors who do not fall in the gazetted category, got Rs 10,000 in cash and the currency notes were in denomination of Rs 2,000.

"Getting cash in advance in these difficult days was a pleasant surprise," she said, but also expressed apprehension that if the cash availability does not normalise soon it would be difficult for them to continue with these kinds of arrangements.

Another government employee, Mukesh Chand Sharma who is a senior teacher with a government school, told IANS that he has got his salary transferred as usual but he is unable to withdraw anything from banks or ATMs because of huge rush everywhere.

"It has become very difficult for our family to meet our day-to-day needs of cash. I have money in my account but I am penniless at home," he said.

Earlier in the day, the issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha by Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party. He said that government employees have not got their salaries and cash crunch has affected people badly.

The issue figured prominently in the Upper House and opposition parties didn't let it function saying the government must fix the problem first.

--IANS

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