After Note Ban, This is How Sex Workers in Kolkata Have Earned Over 50 Lacs in Just 2 Days

Soon after the currency demonetization initiated by our PM Modi, a lot of businesses have been going under loss because of their cash dealing procedures. But Sonagachi, the biggest red light area in the entire South Asia located in Kolkata has seen a huge hike in their business as they earned over 50 Lacs in just 2 days of span! With a support system from Usha multipurpose cooperative bank, a bank run by sex workers which was formed in 2001 for the members of their own profession, the sex workers are relived that their money is in safe hands.

"Our girls have been asked to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. But they are telling customers that they will not accept those after this week. Therefore there is a huge rush of customers. "Although sex workers in top categories are facing no problem but those who take only Rs 300 to Rs 400 are facing great difficulty," said Bharati, the mentor of the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, a sex workers' organization which has 1.3 lakh registered sex workers under it across Bengal.

During the normal days, the sex workers do a business of around 5 Lac per day unlike these two days where the workers have earned around 55 Lacs. But it isn’t a pretty picture for everyone as the sex workers who charge below Rupees 500 are facing huge issues and their business is getting affected because of lack of change.

 “If we say no, we will lose the customer. We have to accept the notes and the Durbar and Usha bank had assured us that our money will not go waste,” said Rekha, a sex worker.

The workers who charge over 500 Rupees seem to have a good business running even when many businesses around have been affected severely.