Demonetization of Rs 500, 1,000 notes may hit Sonepur Fair
Patna,(BiharTimes): The demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes is likely to have its shadow on Asia’s largest cattle fair at Sonepur, also known as Harihar Kshetra Mela.
Bihar’s tourism minister Anita Devi will inaugurate it on November 13 (Sunday).
The fair, which is gradually losing its sheen, may be hit by the recent move of the Narendra Modi government.
Cattle traders in the country have already been facing the heat of cow vigilantism since 2014. Now with huge currency shortage in the market, it is feared, that the business would be less than last year.
The Sonepur fair used to attract a lot of domestic and some foreign tourists. The foreign tourists in India were caught totally off guard by the November 8 prime minister’s announcement. Reports from Bodh Gaya and other places have already confirmed it. So less tourists are expected to visit Sonepur fair this year.
Notwithstanding the efforts of the state government, in the last few years the fair, organized on the confluence of rivers Ganga and Gandak, has been facing the impact of modernization, in which there is more craze for two-wheelers than horses or for cars than elephants.
Besides, the activities of animal rights activists have also dealt a blow to those engaged in the trade of birds and other pet animals.
The fair, spread in the 4.74 acres of land, has gradually been adapting to the demand of the changing time. But the theatres, non-government stalls, book shops and Disney Land are likely to attract fewer customers this year.
Alka Yaganik, Bipin Sachdeva, Tripti Shakya and Sadhna Sargam are some of the performers approached by the administration to perform in the fair.
But the scrapping for Rs 5,00 and Rs 1,000 notes just five days before its inauguration has dampened the spirit of traders, who are these days busy lining up outside the bank branches.
Though Saran DM Deepak Anand said that––as in the past––banks have been directed to open temporary branches amd make provision of mobile ATM service yet one can only keep one’s fingers crossed whether they would be able to do business like earlier years in this month-long fair––it will conclude on December 13.
