2016-12-13 16:41:00

India’s Kerala bishops warn of urban-rural divide ‎


The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), the association of bishops of various Catholic rites in southern India’s Kerala state has taken a critical look at the Indian government’s demonetization programme and the campaign for a cashless economy.  In a statement issued at the conclusion of the winter conference of the KCBC at the Pastoral Orientation Centre in Kochi, the Bishops’ Council has urged the government to alleviate sufferings of people followingthe banning of 500 and 1000-rupee notes. It cautioned the authorities to be vigilant against the banking system being turned into a mechanism for exploitation of the common man.

The council pointed out that investment of the money mobilised from the rural and backward sectors in the urban-oriented large enterprises would result in widening the urban-rural divide.  This would create a situation whereby the villages would be exploited for the benefit of the cities. It wanted the government to take immediate action to solve the crisis in the cooperative sector, which had an important role in the development of rural areas.  The council demanded the authorities to take measures which would ensure the welfare and development of agriculture, small business, and coastal areas.

Kerala’s bishop urged the government to take steps to alleviate the sufferings of the common man, following the banning of high-value currency notes. Steps should be taken to ensure that the government machinery functioned efficiently and without corruption so that the positive results of the demonetization campaign reached the people.  (Source: UCAN)








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