While the whole country may be reeling under the omni-present shortage of coins, shopkeepers and local traders in the city have devised an ingenious method to cope with the problem.
The shopkeepers have all coined a new type of currency called paper tokens which they issue on their own with proper stamp seal and signatures. The tokens come in all denominations.
However, the token system is gradually turning into a headache for consumers as most shopkeepers now either ask for the exact amount of purchase or compel their customers to take these tokens citing shortage of coins.
If one goes by the word of customers, the tokens are mostly evident in Police Bazar, Mawbah and Jhalupara.
A customer who frequents a restaurant located in Police Bazar said, “These restaurants have made it a habit to give tokens to each and every customer citing shortage of coins.”
“Whether I eat for 15 rupees or 83 rupees they will make sure that I am given a token and asked to buy stuffs from nearby paan shops even if I don’t have any need,” the customer added.
However, the shopkeepers defended the token system, saying that they issue the token only when they are short of coins.
“This system is in place to tackle the shortage of coins and it has been working quite well,” one of the shopkeepers who issue such tokens asserted.
He explained that these paan sellers collect the tokens given by the customers and later they bring it to the shop or the restaurant which issued the tokens and collect the cash due to them.
Another trend that has begun to catch the fancy of the shopkeepers and traders in the city is that they issue toffees or chocolates to all customers stating ‘shortage of coins’ of ‘lack of change’.
