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NEED CHANGE FOR A CHANGE

At a first glance, the title of this article seems pretty complicated to comprehend. But gradually as on reads on, it will untwine to be able to easily grasp the meaning. Presumably, we Nagas are the frontrunners in being lackadaisical in almost every aspect. Neither do we want to strive to bring change in our society nor do we bother to ask for ‘Change’ from the shopkeepers when we purchase something. We have the habit of bargaining a lot but we are reluctant to ask for Change. Any amount which is below Rs. 5 is returned in exchange for ‘Chewing Gum’ or ‘Toffee’ and at times we tend to tell the shopkeepers to ‘Keep the Change’ whilst trying to display the affectionate and generous side of ours which is nothing but absolute vanity! And this trait seems to persist in almost every Nagas.

The world today is run not just by politicians but by business tycoons and industrialists. The might of a nation is determined by its economic strength and while every nation is making efforts to improve and strengthen its economy, we Nagas are least bothered to even ask for a Change let alone try to boost our economy.

Shopping in any parts of Nagaland is an arduous task. Initially, the shopkeeper will charge exorbitant price knowing the nature of Naga customers. Then the bargaining will start till both the customer and shopkeeper come to a common ground. Apart from this typical style of shopping, in most of the cases the customers are not given the money which is due to them. Instead, chewing gums and toffees are given in return. In fact, it has become a trend even for the pharmacy and beauty shops to keep toffees in their stores! Though these things seem trivial in nature, it does have serious implications.

The economy of a nation/state is adversely affected because there is absolutely no circulation of Coins in the market. The consumers are also affected not realizing that they are largely responsible for the decline of our economy. This also clearly depicts that the Nagas have no value for money. Markets in Nagaland thrive due to our sheer ignorance. The trend of not giving back ‘Change’ by the shopkeepers has become synonymous with the Naga shopping and this trend has to stop once and for all. The responsible authorities may also step in to curb this problem which is perceivable. The shopkeepers may be issued a guideline to strictly give back the change failing which the defaulters will be penalised. And for the implementation of which a helpline number may be made available to the public.

In the meantime, the consumers also need to realise the value of money irrespective of denomination. For a Change let’s start asking for ‘Change’ the next time we go shopping.

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