There is growing anger that the Indian government has failed to cope-up with the impacts of its recent currency ban.
Although, the Government has promised that situation will improve with time but the pain of currency change can still be seen in long queues across banks and ATMs nationwide.
Sydney’s Harjinder Chauhan and his family who are currently visiting Punjab are finding it hard to cop-up with the current situations in lieu of the shortage of currency in India.
“The pain of currency change starts once you touch ground at the Airport. There is little or ‘No’ help from the banks and the cash exchangers at the New Delhi Airport,” said Harjinder in an interview with SBS Radio’s Punjabi program.
“There is no information cell that can guide you through to curb this currency pain at the airport. No guidance, nothing at all.”
“What kind of welcome is that? No one is exchanging our old Indian currency. The day we landed, the banks at airport had big signs of ‘No Cash’.”
“What a surprise that Indian Government Banks and money exchangers are only accepting foreign currencies.”
“Foreigners could even face bigger problems.”
Indian currency ban Source: Supplied
“The foreign visitors of Indian-origin can find some alternate ways, but what about the English speaking foreigner, who have literally no help and they know nothing about the bank formalities, which could take forever just for 5000INR?”
“One person is allowed to exchange $AUD 110, which will be replaced by 2x2000 and only 4x100 rupees notes.”
“Cash Exchange companies are charging fees of INR 250 to exchange $100, and giving a very low exchange rate. So eventually, you end up getting 44INR instead of 50 for 1AUD, which is a rip off to all foreign visitors.”
“This money is not even enough for a single taxi travel to Punjab, which could cost somewhere between 5 -7,000INR one way.”
“We were extremely frustrated. We had to save money by cutting our food needs.”
“The situation is still no good in Punjab. I have seen people standing in long queues. A small chunk of money after 3-4hr long wait is extremely frustrating.”
“Frankly, I’ll advise people travelling to India to postpone their travel. Go for it if you have urgency, but if you are going there for tourism, you will be disappointed,” said Harjinder Singh.
Meanwhile, the former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has criticised Government's handling of its currency ban policy, saying it had been "monumentally mismanaged".
Harjinder Chauhan at New Delhi Airport Source: Supplied
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's team, finance ministry and India's Reserve Bank has claimed the currency ban as an important step in country’s way of curbing rampant tax evasion and corruption.
