Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 10: Milk is an essential commodity the people purchase on a daily basis. Of late, it is learnt, Nandini milk booths are refusing to accept payments made in the form of coins. This has angered many customers.

Almost every family, either rich or poor, goes to the milk booths. Some carry changes to buy milk while others take some currency notes along with coins of exact value. The milk distributors, for the last two days, have begun saying that they would accept currency notes but not the coins.

On November 4, an official circular was issued with the signature of the in-charge assistant manager of the finance department of Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers Union in which the distributors have been asked not to accept coins. The circular mentions that Axis Bank has been refusing to accept the coins which are received out of sale proceeds of milk distribution route and sale of milk products. Therefore, the staff of the distribution network have been asked to accept only the currency notes and remit the same to the union.

Based on this circular, the dealers have begun to refuse coins. The people are unable to find out why the coins are refused. In some other places where other things too are dealt with, the sellers accept coins.

Sheikh Muhammed Sawad from Kottara says that Nandini milk booths are not accepting ten rupee coins. The operators orally told him that other coins can be accepted. He says that refusing a coin, which is a legal tender issued by the government, is tantamount to demonetisation and asked the district administration to take the matter seriously.

President of Dakshina Kannada district Cooperative Milk Producers Union, Raviraj Hegde Kodavoor, said he is not aware about the circular to refuse coins in milk booths. He said that the currency issued by the government cannot be refused by anyone and therefore circular if it was issued, is wrong. He promised to take up the issue with the officials.