Demonetisation crisis: Odisha CM asks PM Modi to exempt PAN Card provision for bank deposits

New Delhi [India], Nov. 21 (ANI): Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the effects of demonetisation in his state and sought exemption from submission of PAN card number for people belonging to the scheduled areas for bank deposits beyond Rs. 50,000. Speaking to the media after meeting Prime Minister Modi, Patnaik said that the cooperative banks should be allowed to exchange notes "I raised a few issues as far as the demonetisation is concerned. Firstly to allow district central cooperative banks to exchange banks notes. Tribals must be exempted from submission of PAN on deposit of more than 50 thousand. Allow women welfare boots to fully operate their bank accounts without any restrictions," he said. The Chief Minister further said that the Centre should ensure availability of cash requirement at least for 12 to 14 days for the bank branches of the state especially for 100 and 500 currency notes. He also asked the Centre to direct Chhattisgarh Government to stop construction on river Mahandi and its tributaries. Patnaik had earlier written to Prime Minister Modi on exempting the provision of PAN Card number for people belonging to Scheduled Areas of Odisha for bank deposits beyond Rs 50,000. He said this decision is crucial for mitigating the undue hardship to the people living in Scheduled areas of our state, most of who belong to tribal communities. Meanwhile, angry disruptions were witnessed in the Parliament today with the opposition insisting that the Prime Minister must speak in the Rajya Sabha on the ban on Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes. The ruling dispensation has said that Prime Minister Modi will not contribute in the Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said that he is ready to explain the government's stand, but the opposition is preventing that because it wants to stall Parliament rather than engage in discussion. In the Lok Sabha, the Congress and some other opposition parties insisted on a discussion on demonetisation under Rule 56, which entails voting and through an adjournment motion that implies suspension of all other business. Prime Minister Modi has said that the ban on high value currency notes is not to agonise anyone but to clean the economy. Speaking on demonetisation after launching the Pradhanmantri Grameen Awas Yojna, an ambitious housing scheme meant for the rural poor, in Agra yesterday, the Prime Minister said more than five lakh crore cash has been deposited in banks since last ten days. He thanked the people for bearing the pain of high value note ban. Prime Minister Modi said his decision to demonetise high value currency notes is punishment for those who has accumulated huge black money. (ANI)