RAMESH SAVAIKAR |NT
BICHOLIM: The people in Mayem and Sankhali are of the view that the demonetisation drive by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a bold step to control corruption, black money and counterfeit notes.
A farmer from Mayem, Krishna Parab said we have faced many problems due to demonetisation and people had to wait for long queues to withdraw their own money. The common man has suffered a lot due to the demonetisation, he said.
Many residents in Mayem felt that demonetisation will encourage a formal economy, improve tax collection, open up opportunities for poor and middle classes, stop funding for weapons smuggling, espionage, and terrorism as well as put an end to large circulation of counterfeit currency.
Another resident said, “People queued up outside petrol depots to use Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes in exchange of fuel. But as time passed, customers waiting for their turn were told by depot attendants that they were running out of change. After a while, people were told to buy fuel worth the amount of currency they were carrying”.
Most of the Sankhali residents felt that people of the country should be proud that an elected government was capable of taking such a brave decision for the long-term betterment of the economy.
When it comes to assembly elections, demonetisation will play a crucial role as it will restrain politicians from buying votes and distributing freebies. The upcoming election will be based purely on peoples mandate and money will be reduced to a great extent claims a resident from Sankhali.
Navnath Naik from Narve said the motive of the Prime Minister was very good, however proper planning and implementation should have been done to avoid long queues at banks, besides availability of cash at ATMs.
A councillor from Sankhali Riyaz khan said the decision of the Prime Minister is a failure as many people having black money were able to convert the same into white. He said the government has failed to
keep track on bankers and a section of the society.
Firoz Irani a businessman from Sankhali said, his business has been in trouble ever since the demonetisation has been introduced. He said it was very difficult to arrange money for weddings, parties etc. he said that proper planning was not there and the common man suffered a lot.
Brahma Desai from Sankhali also expressed dissatisfaction over the
demonetisation and said that the people of the state had been put to a lot of inconvenience.
Geeta Gawas, a housewife from Navelim said that the motive was good but the implementation was a failure.
Following the demonetisation move of the Union government, people of lower income groups are not the only ones getting stressed. In fact, bank employees across the state have been spending stressful days and sleepless nights, said another resident.
Vishwamber Gawas, a farmer from Naveli also expressed satisfaction over
demonetisation and said that the drive has resulted in exposing black money and other issues which will clean up the state of Goa.