Coins

Coin Shortage leads to chocolate sales

The sale of fifty paise chocolates in the city has picked up manifold not because of people's sudden love for it, but to tide over acute shortage of 50 paise coins. The chocolates are given in some government and private buses, canteens, hotels, drug stores and parking places in place of coins and sholesale dealers.

Some scrap dealers attribute this shortage to mas purchase of coins by blade manufactures in Mumbai for making high quality razor blades. The dealers said they were paying two rupees for one rupee coin and one rupee for a 50 paise coin. The companies in turn would pay more margin to the scrap dealers.

Though the business was at a peak till a month ago, there's a shortage of coins at present, they had a deal with employees who were managing the vehicle parking areas and some bus conductors to supply coins. But they too were facing proglems in procuring the coins now.

The branded chocolates are selling bottles of chocolate instead of one bottle. Even in hospital canteens, where a cup of coffee or tea costs Rs. 3.50, chocolates were given for 50 paise balance. Conductor or a parking site employee whould earn about Rs. 15.00 if he is able to use a bottle of chocolates for the purpose of giving the change.

In some city buses chocolates are given without authorisation. The corporation officials had approached some co-operative banks and temples to provide 50 paise coins. The scaracity of 50 paise coins are artificial. Chocolates are being thrust on the people. It is a ploy of the chocolate dealers to sell their product.

I think that there should be an immediate action on this