NEW DELHI: Government today announced another set of measures to ease the process of exchanging now defunct Rs.500 and Rs 1000 notes and also withdrawal of money following demonetisation announced on November 8.
The measures are –use of indelible ink, special monitoring by the bank managers on people repeatedly standing in the queue after one withdrawal or exchange of old notes.
Other measures include the 1.30 lakh branch post offices and district central cooperative banks being pumped with additional new currency notes, requesting temples and places of worship to deposit the small denomination currencies/coin offered by devotees, at the nearby banks, close watch on Jan Dhan accounts and the illegitimate cash deposits (scrutiny will begin soon).
A task force has been set up to monitor the shifting and storing of old notes to help post offices to get more notes, another task force set up to keep a watch on infusion of fake currency in vulnerable areas, that have been identified by the government and also keep a close watch on black money being deposited in bank.
Union economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das also rubbished the rumors by unscrupulous elements on shortage of essential commodities. A task force has been set up under the cabinet secretary to monitor supply, movement and availability of essential commodities across the country. The cabinet secretary will also head a coordination group with senior representatives of the banks to implement all the measures taken on Tuesday and also the previous week.
A technology team has been set up to popularise the use of e-wallets and activate the re-calibrations of ATMs, so as to get them activated at the earliest.
Indelible Ink
Amid the increasing public anxiety and panic over the BJP-led Union government’s sudden surgical strike on black money, the Centre has decided on using indelible ink to curb multiple withdrawals by the same person.
Indelible ink is the kind of ink that is painted on the forefinger during the election process and it will ensure the citizens do not make repeated visits to the same bank or other branches to deposit or exchange the higher denomination notes.
“It has been decided that banks will resort to use of indelible ink marks for disbursement of cash, across the counters for exchange of notes (Rs500 and Rs 1000). This suggestion was considered earlier internally, but since the lines are not getting shorter at the banks and same people are coming back for multiple withdrawals,” said Das.
It will help prevent certain syndicates and unscrupulous people using innocent persons to use this facility for multiple withdrawals and exchange of cash. The banks managers have also been advised to keep a close watch on such elements at the bank. This step should help reduce the long queues, he added.
“The cash availability at post offices and district central cooperative offices has been enhanced. Today they are getting enough cash and should be able to meet the requirements of people in rural areas,” said Das.
Centre has directed the banks across the country to procure the ink from government departments. The new measure is expected to come into effect from Wednesday.