NEW DELHI: Keen to end the misery of millions of cash-starved citizens, the Finance Ministry today began a daily review exercise to assess problem areas and put in place remedial measures.
Nearly a week after the government withdrew Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as part of a crackdown against blackmoney and corruption, queues outside banks and ATMs have only got longer.
Senior officials in the Finance Ministry have been allocated different states and banks to daily monitor currency supply situation and plan remedial actions quickly, official sources said. Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, today chaired a meeting of the Joint Secretaries tasked with currency management. He asked seven joint secretaries in the Finance Ministry to comply with decisions taken in the high-level meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi held last night to assess the situation following demonetisation of high-value currency notes. Das reviewed state-wise status with three joint secretaries each of the Department of Economic Affairs and Department of Financial Services and one of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). The officials are to monitor cash availability at each bank branch as well as recalibrating of ATMs which will start dispensing new Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes. Sources said each Joint Secretary has been given four-five states to monitor and an equal number of banks to coordinate with for effective remedial plans. DEA Secretary held separate meetings with the seven joint secretaries co-opted in the operation, they said. The government has eased cash withdrawal restrictions as well as ordered installing new micro cash vending machines (micro-ATMs) across the country to ease the situation. It has also asked banks to waive off transaction charges on debit and credit cards. Besides allowing individuals to withdraw and exchange higher amounts from ATMs and bank accounts, the government has also raised the cash withdrawal limit of at least three-month old current accounts to Rs 50,000 per week.—PTI
