State government staff still struggle to draw salary

New Delhi: With the unavailability of cash in the banks and the little advance cash that has been exhausted, the problem has begun to surmount even for state government employees who are finding it difficult to manage their day-to-day chores.

Though the initial stopgap arrangement was made for the government employees, as a part of their salaries were paid in advance in order to avoid rush at the banks, the salaried class have begun to feel the pinch.

“It feels like a plate full of food is kept in front of you but your hands are tied. You can’t eat, but only can have a look at it. Demonetisation has given that feeling to us. Though our salaries have been credited, but to withdraw it, we have to wait since bank’s cash chests are still dry,” rued an employee with Samaj Sadan Griha Kalyan Kendra at Lodhi Road. Like him, a senior employee with a nationalised bank, on the condition of anonymity, echoed similar sentiments. “The situation has become chaotic post demonetisation. People are thinking that the bankers are unaffected by the move but, little do they know that even we are at the receiving end, and finding it difficult to manage household expenses.”

I am yet to pay my overdue and am waiting to withdraw optimum cash to deal with the problems we are facing at home.”

It’s going to be a month that PM Modi banned the most circulated high valued currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 in a bid to tighten the noose on black money hoarders. However, driven by the sudden move, the common man crumbled as the cashless banks and ATMs, accompanied by payday chaos, only propelled pandemonium, discomfort, and despair not only to the salaried class, pensioners, and households but even the government employees.

One of the classes severely hit by demonetisation among the state government employees was the D category employees who alleged that people were already struggling with little money in hand. The sudden move by Central government has robbed them of their pays completely.

Sushila, (name changed) who is working with Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for the last four years, hasn’t received the salary yet. “I am running my house with the help of the little saving that I had from the last month. Even after queuing up for hours in front of banks, I have to return empty handed with the cash drawers running dry. If the problem of cash crisis is going to continue the same way, we may have to sleep on empty stomach.”