Fare from Sinthi Morh to my house goli is 10/-, by auto. When it was launched about 25 years ago today Then there was stage wise rent.1.50/- upto Baranagar Bazar and 2/- to Sinthi Morh. I Can't remember, maybe 2.50/- it was. Now, uniform fare is fixed - ten rupees. The total road length is a few hundred meters more than two kilometers.
A strange experience happened in that auto today. I had a lot of change in my pocket, after buying medicine. After purchasing from Asimda's store at Sinthi Morh. Against the purchase of injections of vitamin B-12, just like other vitamin shots, he rained down all the retails. I was not worried - it will be convenient to pay in auto rickshaw.
But then what else did I know, this is the Tagore's "country of cards". Everyone is king here. I handed over eight coins to the pilot while sitting in the car. Two are two rupees and six are one rupee coins. He returned all immediately. Six coins of 1/- should not be given. I could take three at most.
I'm surprised! I asked him to know, why. Has this coin been closed by the government, or has a limit been set?
No, none of that - we don't take more than three, in this line.
Why not take? While, You can take three, and where is the difficulty in taking three more?
No, no we don't, no one does. You give elsewhere, they won't take it either.
But what is the reason for not taking this, tell me? Aren't these fair bucks?
I don't know that, I won't take it. Show it to someone, if he takes it, I'll take it too.
Who introduced this rule? Your union?
I don't know, not more than 3 smaller coins are taken.
We are all kings in the king's reign.
( Country of cards' song by Tagore)
I try to think deeply about the incident, for rest of the road, what could be the reason behind it? Other times, I often see a boy or a girl, from the poor house, come to a sweet shop, or a drug store, or a drink shop, wuth a plastic bag, and stand up. Kaku, it has a hundred. Silently changing hands, two fifties or a whole sheet come out of the drawer, to the retail importer. I have even seen auto guys doing this exchange, tied all retails in handkerchiefs.
Money is Maa-lakshmi - ever fickle. She has to accept change of hand and change of pocket throughout the day. In the present critical situation of our country, Maa Lakshmi is even more volatile.If there is a small number of people who are constantly minting these small single coins day after day, which are in circulation, but nobody is using them, then how will the governor of the Reserve Bank comes to know, account for the large amount of money that is being wasted? How will this deficiency be adjusted? With tax increase or GST, or by increasing toll tax? It is not only just three coins of one rupee, but if it averages 200 coins throughout the day, it is Rs.6000 per month. 72000 per annum. Assuming only fifty autos run on this line, then the amount stands at Rs 36,00,000.
Got a guess? It's just one route of autorickshaw's calculations, more or less. Trips increase during festivals. I did not consider those. There are at least 70-80 auto-toto routes in Baranagar area alone. There are also three-wheeled pedaled rickshaws. If we calculate the seventy routes, then this unutilized amount comes to Rs. 252,000,000 (Two fifty two lakh)!!
Now think once, my friends - are we really a responsible citizen of the country? Agreeing with whims and wishes of auto richshaw drivers, even though the fair given to them is valid and under uses by the Government of India. These unused coins might be collected or gathered or purchased by some street smart, politically supported goon. Within a year or two, he will be able to misutilise this money in any sort of hideous jobs, who knows?
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