We seem to be in an era of shortages. You ask for a stamp paper of Rs. 50 and the stamp vendor gives you either 3 stamp papers of smaller denomination or 1 stamp paper and many stamps to be pasted on it. The reason is non-availability of stamp papers of Rs 50.
Visit any Notary for notarising a document and the situation is the same. You see half a dozen notarial stamps pasted on your document when only one would do. The shortage of notes and coins below Rs 10 is well known to all. In spite of several complaints the situation is still the same, happy time for the candy and toffee industry since the traders have made these the new legal tender. The electricity bills are not received in time because of shortage of meter readers.
And the latest is the shortage of postage stamps of Rs 4 even before the season of X’mas cards has begun. You have to make do with 8 stamps of 50 paise. Imagine the difficulty of a person who has to send 25 cards by pasting 200 stamps. Shortages everywhere. And most of them are not short term shortages but are continuing for a long time.
It is high time that the concerned authorities managed the affairs of their departments properly and relieve the public of the inconveniences.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
