Hyderabad: Almost two years after the Centre announced demonetisation, 800 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of State Bank of India do not dispense new currency notes of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 200, since these machines have not been recalibrated to suit the size of the new currency.
The State Bank of India, one of the largest public sector lenders, has 59,521 ATMs across India, out of which 41,386 machines have been restructured to suit the present currency notes at a cost of Rs 22.50 crore.
However, the remaining 18,135 machines continue to issue old Rs 100 notes.
A source from the SBI told this newspaper, “Re-calibration of machines mean change of cash loading bins.
The old bins of SBI’s 800 machines do not allow cash to load since the tray size does not suit the new notes. The new notes are different in size when compared to the old notes. If loaded forcefully, the notes may scatter and even get damaged.”
When asked whose job it was to re-calibrate it, the source added, “The suppliers of ATM machines were supposed to change the cash bins. However, it is the bank that needs to order them. The bank management is responsible to take a decision on it.”
