Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 | Last Update : 06:30 AM IST
Sharad Pawar asks Centre to allow old notes swap
Pawar said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley on the issue.
New Delhi: Former Union agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday made a plea to the government to allow old currency lying with district central cooperative banks to be deposited with currency chests.
Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, Mr Pawar said the situation is restricting DCCBs to lend, which is impacting agricultural credit in the rabi season. He said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley on the issue. His demand drew support from almost all opposition parties.
The Upper House also saw members demanding crop loan waiver for farmers in drought-hit Tamil Nadu, with the government maintaining that it is “absolutely sensitive and seized of the matter”. Mr Pawar said Rs 8,000 crore in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have piled up with 371 district central cooperative banks after the RBI barred currency chest banks from accepting them.
