On its first pay day post-demonetisation, Kerala is facing a deep financial crisis due to shortage of currency with banks and treasuries. As against its assurance to supply Rs 500 crore, Reserve Bank could allot only Rs 153 crore to the Treasuries Department. Of this, only Rs 75 crore was received until noon.
Of the total 222 treasuries, 42 treasuries were not supplied with the money until noon. Thus, only a few payments were made in these centres, with the cash balance of previous day.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Moderate to heavy rush was witnessed at 25 treasuries in the State capital, mainly at Kattakkada and treasuries at Kilimanoor as well as Parassala. Major treasuries started token distribution at 7 AM. Technical snag hit payments in all treasuries in the State for a brief time starting at 10.30 AM. In contrast to other districts, treasuries in Thiruvananthapuram by and large received requisite amounts to meet the day’s demands. The worst affected in the capital was the Kilimanoor treasury which received Rs 10 lakh against a demand of Rs one core. The Neyyattinkara treasury placed a request for Rs 1.50 crore but received only Rs 40 lakh.
KOLLAM: The district treasury, sub-treasuries and banks witnessed heavy rush in Kollam district. Though pension amount were disbursed to the pensioners from the district treasury, most of them raised complaints as they were paid in Rs 2000. State Bank of India which was entrusted to supply the required funds to the sub-treasuries in Chathanoor, Paravoor, Karunagapally, Pooyapally and Chadayamangalam, failed to provide the same.
ALAPPUZHA: The salary distribution was disrupted in the district except at Ambalappuzha due to shortage of currency. Only Rs 3.05 crore was allocated when the actual need was Rs 7.25 crore in the district.
KOTTAYAM: At Kottayam sub-treasury office, despite queuing up since morning, the pensioners received only Rs 16000 each due to the fund crunch.
IDUKKI: In Thodupuzha, a long queue of pensioners was witnessed before the sub-treasury office. Extensive measures were taken by the police to manage the crowd.
ERNAKULAM: In view of the rush, treasury authorities made elaborate arrangements and opened six counters, which started functioning at 10.30 AM. There were no issues in connection with distribution of pensions till 3 PM. However, the people were found generally unhappy over the currency notes of Rs 2000 denomination. The counter remained open till 6 PM.
The district treasury that functions at civil station, Kakkanad witnessed no heavy rush in comparison with the other sub-treasuries. As per the latest information, around Rs 65 lakh was disbursed out of Rs 1 crore that they had received. Though the officials requested the police assistance, they were sent back as the rush subsided eventually. According to sources, a total of 320 cheques were cleared from the treasury.
THRISSUR: Only Rs 4000 was disbursed per person from the treasuries in the district. District treasury was supplied with only Rs 50 lakhs, when it had requested for Rs 2 crore for the payday. Network problem also affected the pension distribution in the district.
PALAKKAD: There was insufficient amount for disbursal at the district treasury as RBI had only provided Rs 40 lakh in place of the needed Rs 75 lakh per day. In Vadakkencherry, though a sum of Rs 10 lakh was needed, no cash was provided. In Cherpalassery, a sum of Rs 20 lakh was received in place of Rs 35 lakh. Besides the shortage, Rs 18 lakh was received in denominations of Rs 2,000 in Cherpalassery. Due to the insufficient cash, the treasury disbursed Rs 10,000 per person, against the Rs 24, 000 that the government had previously decided.
MALAPPURAM: People queued up at the treasury compound since 5 AM in the district. However, the district treasury faced cash crunch as it received only Rs 40 lakh instead of Rs 1 crore.
KOZHIKODE: Hundreds thronged the treasuries in the city to avail their salary and pension. Serpentine queues were formed in front of sub-treasury and district treasury office since morning. “We had requested for Rs 1.2 crore from the State Bank of India. But we received only Rs 15 lakh. At present, we have a total of Rs 30 lakh, with which we would be able to give the pension only to 150 people. ” said Kozhikode sub-treasury officer Anil Kumar.
KANNUR: Pensioners and government employees who reached early morning to receive their pension from treasury had a disappointing day. Despite the long wait in the serpentine queue in front of the treasury, a majority had to return back empty handed as the cash could be disbursed only to 180 people. Kannur sub-treasury distributed pension to 8800 pensioners and 5000 government employees. Though the treasury required about Rs1.8crore, the treasury distributed only 40lakhs.
KASARGOD: The sub-treasuries and the district treasury of Kasargod received only 65% of the requested cash forcing many pensioners to return empty handed. The treasuries were supplied Rs 1.97 crore against the requirement of Rs 3.10 crore on Thursday.
Kasargod and Nileshwaram sub-treasuries received very less forcing one of them to restrict disbursal. Kasargod sub-treasury received Rs 21 lakh against its requirement of Rs 90 lakh from its chest bank State Bank of Travancore.
"We got the money in tranches of Rs 11 lakh and Rs 10 lakh," said an official. Because of paucity of fund, the sub-treasury disbursed only the minimum pension. “We were forced to restrict the disbursal to Rs 9,600. So many had to turn back without money," he said.