Are tribals being affected by the cash vacuum? No, they have bank accounts

They say that though there is some immediate trouble, their savings will not go to waste as they now have bank accounts thanks to government schemes earlier; some though are upset that their savings will be taxed

The tribals attempted to tender change at petrol pumps, but were also turned away by the operators. Pic/Nimesh Dave

While most of the country snapped into action to stack up on loose change after the Prime Minister’s demonetisation bombshell on Tuesday evening, a majority of those in the lower strata of society — tribals and adivasis in particular — were affected in a different manner.

Left in a lurch?
“What happens to the payment I received for last month’s supply of chickoos?” asks Vijay Lakhma Ambat (51), a member of the Warli tribe, native to Dahanu taluka, referring to his cash payment. Ambat, though, has a valid bank account so he shouldn’t be too worried. “We have saved little by little over the years…some for a marriage, or to buy a house. As of today, all the money that I have saved is worth nothing. The other alternative is that we deposit our savings in the bank accounts, but then we might get taxed. Most of us leave our money with our wives — there is no kitaab for it. What happens to the other adivasis who don’t have a bank account, but have been saving?”

Bear in mind that if they don’t have a bank account, there is also a high chance that they won’t have an Aadhaar card, in which case they cannot exchange notes at the bank/post office.

Market favouritism
“This morning, when some people, unaware of the overnight change, went to buy ration, their R500 and R1,000 notes were not accepted,” said Shivaji Bhimra (62), another farmer from the Warli tribe, who supports a family of six including his wife. “When we went to the petrol pump in the morning, no one rendered us change there either. It’s a problem because many of us don’t have bank accounts.”

His older brother, Masura Bhimra (70), pointed to another issue that cropped up. “In the marketplace, no one was accepting the notes and were instead relying on a udhaari system where you sign for what you pick. So if you don’t have a good rapport with your grocer, there is nothing to be done.”

Bank accounts to rescue
However, most of the tribesmen acknowledge that all is not lost as most of them have bank accounts thanks to proactive government schemes. “We only keep kharchi at home—the rest goes into the bank account,” said Ramchandra Waghat (42), adding, “This trend of everyone opening up bank accounts has grown in the last five-six years, because of proactive government schemes, like the Jawaar Rojgaar Yojana, under which at least one household member is guaranteed employment.”

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