'Chocolate' to overcome shortage of coins

Change problem

The sale of chocolates worth Re one and Rs two has increased in Kodagu district. Thanks to the shortage of change available in the market.

There is shortage of change in all most all the business establishments in the district. Now, the low priced chocolates have emerged as a medium of barter among the buyers and traders, due to the acute shortage of coins.

There is shortage of 50 paise, Re 1, Rs two coins, which has become a headache for the consumers in vegetable, grocery shops and hotels. With coins disappearing from the market, buyers are being forced to accept the low-priced chocolates and toffee from traders in place of coins.

The traders are facing shortage of coins, especially 50 paisa and one rupee coins for the last several months. The traders are forced to provide the low priced chocolates to buyers as they fail to return the change.

The merchants allege that the banks are not supplying them with the coins.

Even people hardly visit banks to avail coins. At the same time, the consumers visit ATM to withdraw money from their bank account. In ATM, one can get Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency. As a result, one does not get coins and all have currency of Rs 100 or Rs 500 denomination.

Even the passengers who travel in bus also face shortage of coins. Normally bus conductors write in the bus ticket on the change and ask the passengers to get the change, while alighting from the bus, when he reaches the destination.

However, when one reaches the destination, the passenger normally forgets to collect change from the bus conductor, said a passenger who frequently travels in bus.