Unbeknown to me the Prime Minister, Mr Modi, had a surprise waiting for me.
I thought I would save my back and leave my big case at the airport left luggage while I spent one night at my usual Delhi city centre hotel. The counter staff told me that they would not accept 500 or 1000 rupees notes. but gave no explanation. Luckily I had small notes with me, left over from my last visit to Brighter Future, which I had intended using for the Airport Express train and the auto rickshaw at the Delhi end of the line. I asked about the 'notes' at a nearby cafe found out that it was a snap decision, of only a few hours previously, by the Prime Minister. to withdraw all 1000 and 500 rupee notes from circulation,( £10 and £5) in an attempt to stop money laundering, hoarding money, bribe paying and not paying income tax - all generally referred to as Black Money.
All ATM's were closed, banks were closed for two days and only a few airport ticket offices and the metro would accept the banned notes. No auto's, food vendors, cafe's, restaurants, hotels or money changers would accept them . I managed to change 1000 after a wait at the station while they accumulated change from ticket sales to people with 100 or less. but was given a 500 as part of my change for the 60 rupee fare.
I decided that I could not afford to use my precious change on a rickshaw and remembered that if I walked through New Delhi station, from platform 16 to platform 1, including crossing bridges and going through a scanning machine, I would be at the Pahargang side of Delhi, just a few hundred yards from my hotel. I was wearing a backpack and pulling a small wheeled case. Luckily I had paid for the hotel in advance so only had to use my debit card for meals. I returned to the airport the next morning by the same route.
Victor met me at the Visakhapatnam airport and told me of the mayhem the banning had caused to traders and in paying wages. So many people do not have bank accounts and the banks would only change 4000 rupees per person, If you had more the money it had to be paid into a bank account. We saw such big crowds outside banks, with the police trying to keep order, that the rules are now changed and one person can only change 2000rps.! Hands are marked with indelible ink to prevent the people returning on the same day. The papers reported small traders not being able to get stock and goods in markets rotting because no one had small change to buy them.The new 2000 rupee notes are being issued in this way.
Meanwhile, I am staying at Prem Nivas, dividing my time between teaching in the Primary school, supervising some VTC boys repainting the playground furniture, with careful sanding, red oxide and then using the colours they have chosen..
We had to mend mosquito nets.
It is still rather hot for November - we don't seem to have the winters that we had a few years ago - I blame Global warming!
The young children come to my room after school to play on the tablet, use the toy computer and play with the speaking teddy bear.
Peace comes at 7.30 when I'm brought my dinner and the children disappear to have theirs.At 9 o'clock I am brought hot milk. I put up my mosquito net and after a few chores I go to bed and read or do word puzzles. A large rat woke me at 2am last night! I chased it with a stick and it returned from whence it came, up the roof beam and into the next room and out through the roof.
I thought I would save my back and leave my big case at the airport left luggage while I spent one night at my usual Delhi city centre hotel. The counter staff told me that they would not accept 500 or 1000 rupees notes. but gave no explanation. Luckily I had small notes with me, left over from my last visit to Brighter Future, which I had intended using for the Airport Express train and the auto rickshaw at the Delhi end of the line. I asked about the 'notes' at a nearby cafe found out that it was a snap decision, of only a few hours previously, by the Prime Minister. to withdraw all 1000 and 500 rupee notes from circulation,( £10 and £5) in an attempt to stop money laundering, hoarding money, bribe paying and not paying income tax - all generally referred to as Black Money.
All ATM's were closed, banks were closed for two days and only a few airport ticket offices and the metro would accept the banned notes. No auto's, food vendors, cafe's, restaurants, hotels or money changers would accept them . I managed to change 1000 after a wait at the station while they accumulated change from ticket sales to people with 100 or less. but was given a 500 as part of my change for the 60 rupee fare.
I decided that I could not afford to use my precious change on a rickshaw and remembered that if I walked through New Delhi station, from platform 16 to platform 1, including crossing bridges and going through a scanning machine, I would be at the Pahargang side of Delhi, just a few hundred yards from my hotel. I was wearing a backpack and pulling a small wheeled case. Luckily I had paid for the hotel in advance so only had to use my debit card for meals. I returned to the airport the next morning by the same route.
Victor met me at the Visakhapatnam airport and told me of the mayhem the banning had caused to traders and in paying wages. So many people do not have bank accounts and the banks would only change 4000 rupees per person, If you had more the money it had to be paid into a bank account. We saw such big crowds outside banks, with the police trying to keep order, that the rules are now changed and one person can only change 2000rps.! Hands are marked with indelible ink to prevent the people returning on the same day. The papers reported small traders not being able to get stock and goods in markets rotting because no one had small change to buy them.The new 2000 rupee notes are being issued in this way.
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| Pydi and Vidya painting |
Meanwhile, I am staying at Prem Nivas, dividing my time between teaching in the Primary school, supervising some VTC boys repainting the playground furniture, with careful sanding, red oxide and then using the colours they have chosen..
We had to mend mosquito nets.
The High School children conveniently had a day off school yesterday for a Hindu festival, so some of them volunteered to make Christmas cards for Victor to send to his friends and people he has met on his world travels connected with leprosy work.
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| Jessie made angels. |
It is still rather hot for November - we don't seem to have the winters that we had a few years ago - I blame Global warming!
The young children come to my room after school to play on the tablet, use the toy computer and play with the speaking teddy bear.
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| Vijay |
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| Favourite toys |
Peace comes at 7.30 when I'm brought my dinner and the children disappear to have theirs.At 9 o'clock I am brought hot milk. I put up my mosquito net and after a few chores I go to bed and read or do word puzzles. A large rat woke me at 2am last night! I chased it with a stick and it returned from whence it came, up the roof beam and into the next room and out through the roof.
