Demonetisation: Banks on their knees, public in a tizzy

Bengaluru: Chaos continued near banks and ATMs on Monday with some disbursing only Rs 2000 denomination notes and others running out of cash even as  people waited in long queues to collect their money.

A few banks also refused to entertain customers of other banks and stuck to serving their own clients. As the day progressed the situation worsened and  several banks closed early  owing to  lack of cash. Most ATMs too half- downed their shutters and displayed signs saying they were out of money.

 Admitted a Punjab National Bank official, “There was ruckus at our branch today. I went to the currency chest at 11.30 am but there was no money as it had not arrived from the RBI. I was finally given soiled  notes which I had to disburse among the public. As this was the sixth day since the demonetisation move, people were restless.”

He claimed RBI officials were favouring bank managers they personally knew. “I noticed two managers from other banks, who were also there for cash. Since the RBI official knew them, they both got extra money. I think they got Rs 2 crore extra for their respective branches. This kind of disparity is not at all fair,” he added.

 A State Bank of Travancore official had similar complaints. Said he, “ I called up the currency chest at 6 am to ask when I could send my people to collect cash for disbursing among our customers and was told there was little money available. But I  managed to procure some money for my branch and it was disbursed by the afternoon.”