Etuwa Munda dubs demonetization policy as ‘immpractical’

From our Staff Correspondent

Dibrugarh, Dec 7: Strongly criticizing the recent demonetization move of the Central Government as uncalled for, former State Forest and Environment Minister and president of Assam Mazdoor Congress Committee (AMCC), Etuwa Munda, attending a press meet here on Tuesday at Rajiv Bhavan, said that tea workers being daily wage earners, had no black money so was better if Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal  inquired the same with the tea garden owners. Speaking before media persons, Munda explained about the unjustified troubles being faced by the tea garden workers due to the demonetization scheme.

The president of AMCC further said that this policy of the Central Government to curb black or uccounted money was impractical and that this was nothing but a political gimmick for which the innocent tea workers were suffering. While supporting the system for payment of wages through banks and ATMs, Munda expressed his doubts on the growing crisis among the tea workers regarding the same.

The former Minister stressed the need for setting up of a number of banks and ATMs in all the tea gardens before the process was fully implemented. Etuwa Munda put forward his views on the necessity of providing training to the illiterate tea workers on the working of cashless system of banks and how cash could be withdrawn from bank ATMs.

Moreover, Munda also stated his doubts on whether the new fincial system would be successful in the coming days. He said as more than 1,500 workers were engaged in a tea garden; commotion would be created among them if they had to stay for long hours in ATM queues to get their daily wages. On this, Munda said that even though the scheme of opening bank accounts was commendable, yet the detailed ground work must be carried out in all tea gardens to avoid any undue upheaval.

Cautioning  on the likely  emergence of unwarranted law and order situation in tea gardens,  Etuwa Munda demanded the restoration of old system of table payment for avoiding any untoward state of affairs in the days to come.