UP Election 2017: Notes ban a big poll issue in Agra as tourism industry takes a hit
Clean environment, 24X7 power and water supply are usually the top issues on voters mind in Uttar Pradesh's tourist capital Agra. But this year, demonetisation or the cash ban is a major issue as the move has badly hit the tourism industry.
Sandeep Arora runs a hotel with 60 rooms in Agra, barely three kilometers away from the iconic Taj Mahal. But at peak season, only 12 rooms in his hotel are occupied as many bookings were cancelled after the notes ban on November 8.
"We feel in the coming season too there will be a lot of impact. Europe has planned travellers. They want everything to be calm before they come. And the kind of blogs which have gone online after tourists faced problems with the sudden cash ban, we are fearing the impact will stay a bit longer", Mr Arora says.
As per the Archaeological Survey of India, the sale of tickets to domestic tourists at heritage sites reduced from 5 lakhs in December 2015 to 3 lakhs in December last year, nearly a month after notes ban. Similarly, the sale of tickets to foreign tourists also dropped significantly in December 2016 in comparison to the previous year.
It's not just the footfall at heritage sites, artisans selling stone and marble works in the city were also affected by the move. The handicrafts industry, which has an annual turnover of 500 crores, saw a drop in sales by 25 per cent in November and December last year.
"Our business was affected. Tourists are less, so our sales. The bigger challenger was paying our artisans," says Prahlad Aggarwal, President of the Agra tourist welfare chamber and also owner of a handicrafts emporium.
The handicrafts industry employs 30,000 artisans in Agra. Like any informal sector in the country, artisans were being paid in cash for their products. After the notes ban, payments in cash were halted, and bank accounts had to be opened.
62-year-old Mohammed Haneef, who has been carving beautiful mementos for nearly four decades, says he feels a bit out of touch after sitting at home for nearly two months after the notes ban.
"I was at home for almost two months as my employers could not pay me cash and I had no bank account. I barely had 2,500 rupees at home to feed a family of five," Mr Haneef said, adding "I opened my bank account last month."
Most of the workers employed in the handicrafts and leather industry belong to either the dalit or Muslim community, usually known to vote for BSP. Four out six Agra constituencies were won by BSP in the last assembly elections.
But for some it was a good move.
"I think we must support government's efforts to clean up the system. We also faced problems, but after I made most of them open bank accounts and installed two ATMs in my factories and made micro ATM services available to my workers, things are sorted now," says Pooran Dawar, who runs two shoe manufacturing factories in Agra.