On second anniversary of demonetisation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says the aim not to confiscate cash but to get it into formal economy even as the opposition is leaving no stone unturned to keep the pressure on the government on the note ban. In a Facebook post, he described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's overnight ban on higher currency notes on November 8, 2016, as a "key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the government to formalize the economy". Calling it a "black day", the Congress said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the nation for destroying the economy.
On November 8, 2016, PM Modi had made the controversial announcement during a televised speech delivered at 8:15 pm, scrapping existing Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes with immediate effect. He said the objective of the exercise was to curtail black money and reduce the part played by counterfeit currency in funding terrorism and other illegal activities.
Here are the highlights of Demonetisation Anniversary:
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on the second anniversary of notes ban today, has called demonetisation not just an ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policy with "innocent intent, but a carefully planned, criminal financial scam".
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the notes ban move was initiated for the benefit of a handful of people, saying the common people were the worst sufferers.
- Over 100 people died standing in queues, GDP growth fell by 1.5% as predicted by the Congress party.
- The government no longer talks of Achhe Din. The only talk we hear is of Hindutva
- Promise of Achhe Din lies in a shambles, PM Modi himself has resurrected divisive issues. I have no doubt people of the country have taken note and will respond.
- We thank the people of Karnataka for their resounding vote of success.
- Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says, "What happened to the Prophets of Doom who predicted a 2% hit to the GDP? For the fifth year running, for the first time in its history India has been the fastest growing large economy."
- When government took over, number of people filing tax returns was only 3.8 crore. Taxpayers were paying for tax evaders. Hence there was a need to formalise the economy."
- Anonymous cash currency was floating around. Deposits forced by demonetization ended this anonymity.
- 11 crore people were forced to queue up outside after demonetisation
- Demonetisation hurt poor people the most - farmers, and the general public
- 1, 34,000 bank branches in the country