Note ban crisis: Bhutanese currency in use in some border areas of Northeast

Borsongaon: With valid currency notes in short supply following the Centre's demonetisation move, people in Assam's Borsongaon bordering Bhutan's Gelephu have turned to the Himalayan Kingdom's currency for their day to day needs.

The locals told media that they decided to go for the currency of the neighbouring country as their efforts to exchange the now defunct 500 and 1000 rupee notes proved futile even after standing in queue every day for nine days since the demonetisation measure was announced.

The people said they were desperate for money to carry on with their purchases of grocery, milk, vegetables and other daily needs.

They had no problem in accepting Ngultrum, the currency of the kingdom, in exchange for Rupees, as Indian and Bhutanese money is used on both sides of the border towns for trading between people of the two countries.

A district official said there had been no official intimation about such transactions but added that they were enquiring into such reports.

Similar reports have also emerged from parts of neighbouring West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district near the Bhutan-border, which district officials have said they would look into.