U’khand govt suffered Rs 500cr loss: Rawat

DEHRADUN: Chief minister Harish Rawat claimed on Sunday that the Uttarakhand government has suffered losses of over Rs 500 crore after the Centre’s demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Rawat said that the losses incurred were due to low revenue collection from stamp duties and Value Added Tax (VAT).

“Stamp duties are earned from registration of land to build houses or for commercial purposes. This has been hit after demonetisation. A considerable slump has been witnessed in the sale and purchase of goods thus Value Added Tax (VAT) collection has also come to a stand still. The state government is bound to suffer heavy losses on the revenue front,” said Rawat while addressing reporters at Beejapur guest house.

Rawat added that while the state government was yet to ascertain the exact losses on the financial front, they must amount to more than Rs 500 crore.

Rawat also held an hour-long meeting with senior officers and asked them to take steps to ease the hardship being faced by people following the currency crisis.

He directed officers to ensure that private hospitals accept payment by cheques from patients and those who are not carrying health cards under the

Mukhya Mantri Swasthya Beema Yojna

are given free medical treatment in government and other hospitals for the next three months."

In relief to farmers, Rawat also asked

Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited

(UPCL) to ensure that farmers who deposit 50% of their electricity bill are not asked to pay the remaining amount right away. He also asked bank officers to look into the possibility of creating separate queues for elderly and those who need to withdraw cash for marriages and money to pay medical bills. He also asked them to provide mobile ATMs for far-flung villages in the hills.

Meanwhile, the state unit of Congress led by Kishore Upadhyay observed a symbolic protest at Hathibarkala against the demonetisation of old currency. The party workers termed the government’s decision a hasty one and urged President Pranab Mukherjee to intervene in the matter.