KOCHI: In view of the serious financial crisis resulting from demonetization, steps should be taken to provide free rations for one month in the state, V.D Satheesan MLA said. While addressing a press conference at Ernakulam Press Club on Monday, the KPCC vice president said that though more than 86 per cent of the currencies had been withdrawn, the Union government had failed to ensure availability of new currency notes.
“Common people are the worst affected with no money even to buy essential goods or for emergency medical treatments such as surgeries. The construction sector in which 40 per cent of the amount is being spent as workers’ wages has come to a standstill. Perishable fish, vegetable and meat markets are completely destroyed. Fishermen, small scale traders and farmers are heading towards poverty,” he said.
The lottery sector, the only means of living for thousands of differently abled people, is stuck. Of the 86 lakh lottery tickets distributed to the agents, more than 70 lakh tickets have remained unsold, he said. Mincing no words, the Congress leader said that the Finance Minister conveniently forgot there were very few people using debit/credit cards or online transactions while asking people to go ‘cashless’.
