BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asked party leaders and workers to open help desks near banks in rural areas to help people fill up forms for exchange of old currency notes.
In a letter to all MPs, MLAs and office-bearers of the party, the chief minister said as filling up of forms for exchange of demonetised notes is mandatory, the BJD should come forward to help people when they are facing difficulties.
He said the help desks should be opened with five volunteers near all banks at the gram pachayat headquarters and other villages. Besides, he asked the party leaders and workers to help senior citizens, different challenged persons and ill persons for the exchange of notes and other banking activities.
The chief minister said demonetisation has affected more than 70 percent of the people in rural areas who including from the scheduled tribes and scheduled castes, farmers, construction workers, women
and daily wage earners.
He said that people are facing difficulties as facilities for exchange of demonetised currency notes are inadequate and withdrawal of new notes from banks have also been affected because as availability is less than required.
Around 70 percent of the gram panchayats in the state unbanked where there is no banking facilities. Earlier also the chief minister had advised the party leaders and workers including the MPs and
MLAs to help people in rural areas.
The BJD president has also requested the party observers to coordinate with the MPs, MLAs and office-bearers and come forward to help people in this hour of need, BJD secretary Anant Narayan Jena has said.