NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Responding to the panic spread in the state following the central government’s decision to abolish the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from the midnight of November 8, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar Tuesday night appealed to Goans not to get alarmed, assuring that the honest, tax-paying people would be taken care of by the central government, and the state government would fully support this endeavour.
Incidentally, a wave of panic was observed in the state, soon after the Prime Minister made the television announcement of the particular decision, with people queuing before the ATMs and petrol pumps in large numbers. Refusal of the hotels and eateries to accept the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes put many people, especially the tourists visiting the state into difficult situation.
Speaking further, during the late night press conference, the Chief Minister termed the decision as a “masterstroke” from the Prime Minister, stating that not only the decision would remove the black money from the national economy and from the funding related to election as well as cross-border terrorism, but also bring down the inflation drastically, thus reducing the prices of essential commodities.
Stating that the “landmark decision” comes just over a month after the end of the deadline for the tax amnesty announced by the Union government to declare hidden income and assets, Parsekar, who also holds finance portfolio, said that those people holding huge amount of black money, who did not take the tax amnesty offer seriously, have now missed an opportunity and hence would suffer their fate.
Reiterating that the common man would not be inconvenienced, the Chief Minister observed that lot of rumours would float in the air during next couple of days, and that the people should not pay any attention to them. “People will start getting replacement currency in 2 to 3 days from the banks,” he added, pointing out that no honest person would face difficulties in the bank due to technical reason.