Pay Day: With demonetisation woes aplenty, govt left to walk on razor's edge
With the first pay day since demonetisation, crowds gathered on Thursday braved the cold in the national capital, and drizzle in the southern region, at the banks and ATMs, to withdraw their salaries.
With most ATMs still remaining dry, the overall scenario looks grim and might continue to be so for the next few days. Here people are waiting before an ICICI ATM in New Delhi. (Shekhar Yadav | EPS)
According to TNIE's survey, people have mixed responses towards demonetisation. Employees wait at the Shastri Bhawan area to withdraw their salary in New Delhi on Thursday. | (Shekhar Yadav | EPS)
According to reports, All India Bank Employees’ Association sought police protection for bank branches for the next 10 days. Another anxious scene in the national capital. (Shekhar Yadav | EPS)
The RBI and the Finance Ministry, though in the last minute, introduced a slew of measures in the wake of cash crunch. (A Sanesh | EPS)
With a crunch of Rs 100 notes and many banks yet to receive the new Rs. 500 notes, the bank officials have demanded RBI increase the supply of notes. A queue in Bengaluru. (Nagaraja Gadekal | EPS)
Accordingly, the RBI claimed it would pump more money from Wednesday evening. Hapless customers wait in front of the shut Saidabad branch of Andhra Bank in Hyderabad. (Vinay Madapu | EPS)
The crowds at the banks has only increased by the day since PM Modi announced the demonetisation move on November 8th. Pensioners wait for a bank to open in Kerala. (A Sanesh | EPS)
Cash crunch was reportedly a result of deliberate tightening of supply to ensure there is enough to meet pay day demand. Pensioners wait at the sub treasury in Kozhikode, Kerala. (A Sanesh | EPS)
The increase in cash supply, according to the government, would continue till December 7. A long queue in front of the district treasury in Kozhikode, Kerala, on Thursday. (A Sanesh | EPS)
In a welcome move, currency printing presses of RBI have moved to print the much-in-demand Rs 500 note. Some of the people braved rains, to wait outside Bank in Madurai (K K Sundar | EPS)
RBI also said that it would increase cash supply to banks with salary or pensioners accounts by 20-30%. Anxious pensioners wait at district pension treasury in Kozhikode, Kerala. (A Sanesh | EPS)
Reports also claim banks have asked large companies to provide prepaid payment cards to staff. Citizens wait under umbrellas at a mobile ATM centre at the Madurai Collectorate. (K K Sundar | EPS)
Even foreign tourists were hit hard because of demonetisation that has reached in its 24th day. Here, a French tourist waits for the SBI ATM at Manchira in Kozhikode, Kerala. (A Sanesh | EPS)
Telangana secretariat employees queue up to collect the promised ten thousand rupees cash in hand from their salaries, but were disappointed with no cash in the banks. (Vinay Madapu | EPS)
Centre has announced setting up of 13-member panel, to make an action plan on digital payment. With severe cash shortage, this ATM in Mysuru hardly saw any rush on Thursday. (S Udayashankar | EPS)
