Akhilesh urges Centre to allow Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in private hospitals

With an aim to ensure medical facilities to poor, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance minister Arun Jaitley to allow Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 invalid notes at private hospitals and medicine shops till November 30.

The demonetisation has raised concerns among medical facilities to poor, who are facing a lot of problems after ban of high denomination notes, he said in separate letters to Modi and Jaitley.

"As Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 were banned in haste, those undergoing treatment at hospitals and nursing homes are facing a lot of problems. I, therefore, request you to intervene and allow private hospitals, nursing homes and medicine shops to accept these notes till at least November 30," Yadav said.

"Due to the ban, those going to avail medical facilitiesin hospital are a harried lot. It is proving fatal for them.Allowing (Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes) currency will help peopleget medical treatment," he said.

As foreign tourists were facing difficulties due to demonetisation of Rs500 and Rs1,000 rupee notes, Yadav had on Thursday directed the state Chief Secretary to ensure opening of extra counters for them to exchange currencies.

"The Chief Secretary should coordinate with banks and ensure opening of extra counters for foreign tourists in Agra and Varanasi. This will help them in exchanging their notes easily," Yadav in his directive. As the Centre's move caught people by surprise, especially with wedding season round the corner, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav demanded a roll back of demonetisation decision for a few days in view of the wedding season. He suggested that people be given a week's time by the government. BSP chief Mayawati has also said poor people and farmers have been badly hit by high denomination rupee ban decision,which reminded people of the dark days of Emergency imposed by then Congress government.