Shopkeepers asking customers to buy a toffee or a matchbox instead of asking for change is a common practice in Ranchi these days with Re 1, Rs 2 and Rs 5 coins having disappeared from the market.

To tide over the coin crisis and help traders, the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI), in association with a private bank, will organise a unique fair at Chamber Bhavan on Wednesday.

Coins of Re 1, Rs 2, Rs 5 and Rs 10 denomination will be distributed among traders at the fair that will start from noon and continue till 4pm. A businessman will, however, not be given more than one bag of coins of a particular denomination.

"Coins worth Rs 10 lakh of different denominations will be in our stock at the mela. ICICI Bank is providing us with the coins on special demand," FJCCI president Ratan Moditold The Telegraph.

He added that proper steps were being taken for judicious distribution of the coins. "City businessmen often offer chocolates, biscuits and other low price consumer items as change to battle this coin crisis," said Modi.

The outfit's secretary Pawan Kumar Sharma said that the mela was exclusively for FJCCI members. "To restrict entry of outsiders, it has been decided that bank employees will provide coins to only those who will furnish their membership card," he added.

Two telephone numbers have been circulated among FJCCI members so that they can inform the officials concerned about their requisitions beforehand.

Shashi Shekhar Mishra, a grocery store owner at Harmu Housing Colony, feels the coin mela will be of great help for businessmen. "Customers often refuse to accept toffee or biscuits in lieu of change, leaving us in a fix. The coin mela will help us battle the crunch situation," he said.

A regular shopper said that he was glad that a coin fair was be organised in the city. "Coin crisis is a big problem in Ranchi. It is good that something is being done to resolve the same," said Himanshu Shekhar, who is also a student and NSS volunteer of Ranchi College.