RAIPUR : “Bhaiya, nahi chalega, koi nahi lega. Dus ka note dijiye (No one will take this coin, Give me a ten rupee currency note),” a vegetable vendor at Shastri bazar tells his customer. Such scenes are not new in Chhattisgarh capital even after the RBI announced that `10 coins are valid and legal tender for transactions.
The ‘problem’ is more apparent in Raipur than other districts. “Ignorance regarding `10 coin remains. Many still don’t accept it,” says Pankaj Sahu, who works in a petrol pump. Small traders in Gole Bazar claim even if they acknowledge the genuineness of these coins, banks are not ‘so open’. “We accept the coins but traders are facing problems as banks are reluctant to accept them in bulk,” claims Naresh Rathore, a businessman.
There were reports of counterfeit coins in circulation, which aggravated the situation. But, a bank official refutes the complaints that banks are hesitant to accept the coins. “We comply with the RBI guidelines. All the 14 types of `10 coins are legal tender and continue to be in circulation. It’s all rumours,” he says.
As refusal to accept a legal form of money amounts to disrespect of the currency, so punitive measures can be invoked under Section 489A to 489E of IPC, say bank officials.
The problem persists but the people don’t complain to law enforcing agencies. “We will initiate action if anyone lodges a complaint on refusal to accept `10 coin,” Raipur collector O P Choudhary says.
“It’s not a big denomination. So, to register any grievance is seen as a hassle,” Gautam Sinha, a psychotherapist, says.