Currency consignments anyway take a long time to reach remote towns of Arunachal Pradesh, many of which are not connected by proper roads. “We initially thought of air-dropping notes to remote circle towns. But then when that did not work out, we are now sending currency stocks by road,” said Tilak Dhar, SBI deputy general manager in charge of the state. In Manipur, an ongoing road blockade has also stopped supply of essential items. Most ATMs in Imphal and elsewhere are shut.
In Nagaland, only a few ATMs in Dimapur and Kohima functioned on Monday, but those ran dry within hours. ATMs are yet to be replenished in Mizoram and Tripura too.
An official in Agartala said Rs 2,000 notes worth Rs 200 crore, airlifted five days ago, was almost exhausted by Monday. “Besides, those who got these notes have not been able to buy anything because change is not available.”
The ruling Left Front has made demonetisation an issue for Saturday’s assembly bypoll in Barjala, Agartala. “While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to help big industrialists who had invested in his campaign in 2014, the common man is suffering due to the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes,” Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said at an election rally Monday. In Guwahati, too, ATMs were either shut or remained open briefly before cash ran out. Monday being a bank holiday, the SBI introduced mobile points for exchange of notes at four locations each in Guwahati, Tezpur and Imphal.
Source: Financial Express