NT NETWORK
PANAJI
With shortage of currency notes of Rs 500 and other denominations, people are facing a lot of hardships in purchasing medicines from chemist stores as most are not equipped with card swiping machines.
Many people told this daily that they are facing problems in purchasing vitamins and regular medicines as chemists are refusing to accept demonetised Rs 500 notes or the new Rs 2,000 note.
The government had made it mandatory for all chemists to accept old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes till November 24 so that needy patients are not hassled. The deadline was then extended till December 15, although chemists are allowed to accept only old Rs 500 notes not Rs 1,000 notes.
Leena Naik, a Caranzalem resident said that she was made to run from pillar to post in her locality as each one of them rejected the old Rs 500 notes as well as the new Rs 2,000 note. “I was willing to go cashless and pay by card but shops did not have swipe machines either,” she said.
“With pharmacies neither keeping a swipe machine nor accepting high denomination currency, it is very difficult to buy medicines,” she said.
Another resident said that he was inconvenienced as the pharmacy demanded the exact amount. He also pointed out that some chemists who have installed debit card machines are seeking transaction fee from the customer. Moreover chemists are refusing to swipe cards if the bill amount is less.
A ground-level check reveals that nearly all pharmacies have stopped accepting demonetised notes for the past four-five days. However, they do not have swipe machines on the premises and therefore customers are hassled.
On the other hand, chemists across Goa said that they are facing an acute shortage of smaller denomination notes post-demonetisation. Several chemists complained of patients asking for medicines and other over-the-counter drugs worth Rs 200-Rs 300 and flashing Rs 2,000 note for payment.
Chemists said that they are unable to process the transaction as every other customer who turns up has a higher denomination note and they are unable to return change. This has affected the business and on an average sale has dwindled by about 30 per cent.
“Very few people who come to our shops have the exact change or notes of Rs 100. We can’t return change to every customer. Many-a-times we have to turn them away or they go away themselves,” said Mahesh Kamat of Kamat Chemists and Druggists, Margao.
Some chemists expressed surprise when asked whether they accept old notes as they were unaware of the new rules. “The government could have released new Rs 500 before the Rs 2,000 note. Right now there is a shortage of change in the market,” said Arun Raiker of Gajanan Medical Stores in Ponda.
Some chemists were also happy that banks have waived off the transaction fees on debit card payments as it had opened up a new window for transactions. However, “there is still a surcharge of 2.5 per cent on credit card transactions which is discouraging in the current scenario,” said Prasad Tamba, president of the Chemists and Druggists Association, Goa.