New Delhi: With high-voltage Uttar Pradesh elections just months away, here's good news for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is facing huge Opposition protests over demonetisation.
40 BJP MPs from Uttar Pradesh have told party president Amit Shah and Home Minister Rajnath Singh that despite facing hardships, people are supportive of PM Narendra Modi's demonetisation decision.
The Parliamentarians informed Shah and Singh that in some rural areas non-availability of sufficient cash is a matter on concern and the government urgently needs to take some steps to improve the situation, a report published in The Times of India said.
However, the BJP MPs informed the two senior leaders that despite facing cash crunch people still have faith in PM Modi's promises and there is widespread support from people for the decision
Some of the lawmakers told Shah and Singh cash shortage prevails in rural areas and some bank employees are converting old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes for commissions of 10-15 percent.
The BJP president is learnt to have the MPs to educate the people about government's steps and digital payments.
The Opposition has been vociferously attacking the Prime Minister over demonetisation.
The Winter session of Parliament is on the verge of a washout as it has failed to transact any business due to the standoff between the government and Opposition over demonetisation, AgustaWestland scam and some other issues.
To give a big push to cashless transactions, the government on Thursday announced daily, weekly and mega awards worth Rs 340 crore for consumers and merchants on small digital payments beginning Christmas Day.
Announcing 'Lucky Grahak Yojana' and 'Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana', to be launched on December 25 as a "Christmas gift" to the nation, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said it is specially focussed on bringing the poor, lower middle class and small businesses into the digital payment fold.
The schemes will cover small transactions between Rs 50 and Rs 3,000 to encourage every section of the society to move to digital payments.
