Demonetisation eats up jobs of casual laborers, says activists

JAIPUR: Demonetisation has hit casual labourers the most as many of them have been without work, food for many days. A study 'Impact of Demonetisation on

Casual Labour at the Chowktis

of Jaipur' carried out by the interns of NGO People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and BGVS stated the condition of casual labourers. The study says that demand for labour has come down from three-fifth to almost one-third.

"This sharp decline in demand for labour has led to sharper fall in wages and overall incomes due to several associated processes. Post-demonetization, average daily wage rate has fallen in the range of 50-70%," said Kavita Srivastava of PUCL. The study was carried out on over 700 workers. Srivastava added that such people have overwhelmingly rejected the demonetisation move.

They demanded that the labour department should immediately conduct an impact assessment study on all labour, particularly casual, construction, factory and small and medium enterprises all over Rajasthan. In the meanwhile they should provide one year's ration, pulses and oil at subsidised rates to all the mazdoors of the Chowktis (labour market) all over Rajasthan, beginning with Jaipur, the report said.

The

People's Green Party

(PGP) has slammed chief minister Vasundhara Raje for failing to take measures to counter problems created by demonetisation. Sudhanshu Sharma of PGP attacked state and centre for creating a major scam known as 'demonetisation' by helping corporates. "It is joint loot by BJP governed states and the Centre. They have waived off loans of corporates while forced the common man to stand in a queue for days to withdraw his own money," said Sharma.

He added promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that everything will be fine in 50 days could not be fulfilled and there is no respite for the common man. "I would ask the PM to stand firm on his words and quit as the problem has not been resolved," said Sharma. His views were echoed by the national secretary of

Social Democratic Party of India

and head Yasmeen Farooqui who stated that women have suffered a lot due to currency ban. "Still we can see women outnumbering men in bank queues as the men have to go out to earn while women who stay back at home have to stand in queues to withdraw money from banks," Farooqui concluded, who is also a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

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