ATMs in many parts of the district are running short of cash. Bankers say the reason for the cash crunch was shortage of ?2,000 notes. | Photo Credit: C_VENKATACHALAPATHY more-in For the last few weeks, residents of some parts of Vellore district have been facing difficulty in withdrawing cash from many ATM kiosks. Residents of areas such as Pernambut, Ambur and Tirupattur complained of cash shortage in many ATMs in their localities. T. Basheeruddin, a resident of Pernambut and a consumer activist, said there was cash shortage in many ATMs of nationalised banks. “There are five to six ATMs in Pernambut town. But only one or two dispense cash and the remaining are mere exhibits. We have been facing the cash crunch for at least two months, and repeated pleas to the bank officials have not fetched any action,” he said. “To sum up the situation, it is like the period when demonetisation was announced. Bank officials are asking us to move on to digital payments. They are discouraging withdrawal using cheques and withdrawal slips. How can we pay when we purchase vegetables if we do not have cash in hand?” he asked. He added that he was unable to withdraw cash from ATMs for the last five days and was planning to go to Gudiyatham to see if cash was available in any of the ATM kiosks. Similar situation prevailed in parts of Ambur too as a resident pointed out that there was cash shortage in a few ATMs for the last two to three days. A. Asokan, a resident of Tirupattur, said, “For the last one-and-a-half months, we have been facing cash shortage in many ATMs. Adequate cash is not loaded in the machines. At times, only ?100 notes are available, and we are unable to withdraw more than?4,000. Many of the ATMs are closed after 8.30 p.m. or 9 p.m. and we are not able to withdraw money for any emergencies at night.” An official of a nationalised bank said there was a shortage of ?2,000 notes. “The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stopped printing them long time ago. The notes in circulation have not returned. Hence, banks are loading ?100 and ?500 notes in ATMs . When we loaded Rs. 2,000 notes in the tray, cash was available for one to two days. With these smaller denominations, the machine is getting emptied fast,” he explained. ‘No sufficient cash’ He added this was the situation for the last one-and-a-half months, and the currency chest was also not receiving sufficient cash. He said the banks have approached the RBI with this issue.

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