Patna, (Bihar Times): In this era of super-fast money
transfer Biharis, to a large extent, still rely on
the age-old money order economy. A recent report said
that every day, on an average 1,000 money orders leave
Noida in trans-Jamuna Delhi to Bihar. This is half
the amount of money orders which leave this
industrial hub near the national capital, every day.
Followed by Bihar is West Bengal which accounts for 15
per cent followed by Chhattisgarh and eastern Uttar
Pradesh with 10 per cent each and Orissa 7-8 per cent.
The post offices situated in Noida send out over Rs 36
crore a year through nearly 3.65 lakh money orders.
Officials say the numbers and the amount have shot up
four times in as many years.
The continuous rise of money orders to Bihar in the
last four years not only shows the growth of Noida but
it also indicates the failure of the Nitish Kumar
government, which came to power 26 months back, with
checking migration from the state as one of the
promises.
Apart from money orders people send money through
private couriers and the fellow-villagers, who travel
back home occasionally, especially during festivals
like Chhath.
Petty-traders, tea-vendors, pan-sellers,
rickshaw-pullers, labourers etc get many times more
money for the same amount of work than they get in
their own state.
Reports say that the postal department earns around Rs
1.8 crore––that is, five per cent of the amount––as
commission from these money orders every year. In
Bihar most of the money orders are sent to Purnea,
Patna, Samastipur, Hajipur, Madhubani, Siwan and
Chhapra.