Congress whip in LS writes to FM: Shortage of Rs 10, 20 and Rs 50 notes affecting the poor

Congress whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pointing out “the shortage of small denomination currency notes”, which according to him is “affecting millions of citizens, particularly in rural areas and urban poor communities”.

In his letter, posted on Saturday, Tagore wrote: “The severe shortage of Rs 10, 20, and 50 denomination currency notes has caused immense inconvenience and hardship.” “Reports suggest that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stopped printing these notes to promote UPI and cashless transactions. While the push for digital payments is understandable, this move disproportionately affects those without access to digital payment infrastructure, particularly in rural areas,” said the MP from Virudhnagar in Tamil Nadu.

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He also said that “this decision infringes upon the fundamental right to access currency, essential for daily transactions”. “The shortage has resulted in difficulties for small businesses, street vendors, and daily wage earners who rely heavily on cash transactions,” said Tagore.

He asked the FM to “direct RBI to resume printing and distributing the currency notes”. “Implement measures to address the digital divide and improve access to digital payment infrastructure in rural areas,” he said.