Demonetisation Claimed Four Lives, All Deceased Recompensed: Government Tells Rajya Sabha
During the winter monsoon session, the Centre today accepted that four people had died due to demonetisation. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while replying to Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Elamaram Kareem said in the Rajya Sabha that among the four dead, three were bank employees of the State Bank of India (SBI) and one customer.
New Delhi, December 19: During the winter session of the parliament, the Centre today accepted that four people had died due to demonetisation. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while replying to Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Elamaram Kareem, said in the Rajya Sabha that among the four dead, three were bank employees of the State Bank of India (SBI) and one was a customer. The finance minister also claimed that all the four deceased were compensated. A compensation of Rs 44 lakh, including Rs 3 lakh to the customer, has been paid to the family members, said Jaitley in Rajya Sabha. Heera Gold Scam: Nowhera Shaikh Blames Demonetisation, GST For Non-Payment of Dividends
The government also claimed that no deaths were reported from any other public sector bank apart from the SBI. While replying to the question regarding the expenditure on printing the new currency, Jaitley said that Rs 7,965 crore and Rs 4,912 crore were spent on the printing of banknotes in the year 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively. He further added, “In addition, Rs 1.09 billion, Rs 1.47 billion and 1.15 billion were spent on remittance of currency in the year 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively. Arun Jaitley Defends RBI Report on Demonetisation, Says Goal Was to 'Formalise Indian Economy'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, 2016, announced scrapping Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to put a check on the black money. The move drew flak from all opposition parties, which claimed that the demonetisation had severely affected the economy without achieving the objective to curb the black money.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2018 10:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).