Haryana govt must bail out farmers hit by demonetisation: Cong

Haryana Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Choudhry today said demonetisation and the RBI's decision to not allow cooperative banks to exchange old notes has hit farmers hard, who have suffered huge losses because of policies of BJP-led state government.
"The state government must bail them out. Lakhs of farmers across the state have accounts in branches of district cooperative banks, which having deep penetration in rural areas," she said.
However, the co-op banks have been debarred by the RBI from carrying out any transactions after demonetisation. Farmers cannot deposit their earnings from the sale of paddy, which is in old currency notes, Choudhry claimed.

"Given the scenario, farmers find themselves left in the lurch. This has hit them hard. Those who have harvested paddy and want to sow wheat cannot do so as they do not have money to buy seeds," she said.
The others who are yet to clean up fields cannot hire labour as they lack cash in new currency notes, the former excise and taxation minister said.
She said considering the pincer-like situation the farmers are caught in, the BJP Government should come to their rescue and facilitate them to sow the next crop.
"Any delay in bailing them out is bound to affect wheat sowing which is already behind schedule," she added.