Odisha asks banks to provide Rs 500, Rs 100 notes in rural areas

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday asked Reserve Bank of India and other banks to provide adequate Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations in rural areas to facilitate agricultural activities in the state.

The Chief Minister also directed the Chief Secretary to review the demonetisation impact on agriculture and on people in rural areas at regular intervals and take steps accordingly.

Patnaik took a review meeting on demonetisation impact through videoconferencing with district collectors of Ganjam, Cuttack, Sambalpur and Balangir.

He said he would draw the attention of the central government to take remedial measures to overcome the situation in rural areas so that farmers would not suffer due to the demonetisation move, and asked the district collectors to provide drought assistance to the affected farmers by December 17.

The state government has already distributed Rs 72 crore to the drought-affected farmers in the state.

He also directed the collectors to ensure that the farmers would participate in the paddy procurement process.

The Chief Minister directed to distribute crop insurance to farmers by December 20.

--IANS

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