KAKINADA: East Godavari district authorities have decided to take up extensive campaign programs and start implementing cashless payments and plastic/online money transactions with immediate effect, even as almost 70 per cent ATMs in the region remained closed. To create awareness on possible cashless transactions, Collector H Arun Kumar has taken initiatives to begin awareness programs on such payments and online businesses through debit/ credit/ Rupay cards, swiping machines, e-commerce & Jan Dhan accounts at the Parlowpeta area here on Friday.
At this meeting, the Collector along with district bank officials and Kakinada Municipal Corporation officials interacted with local women. The officers explained that very soon the government is going to make all money transactions through online and e-banking systems and every one should know how to operate their bank accounts (Jan Dhan A/C) and make transactions through cashless mode.
They also explained the benefits of cashless payments by debit/ credit/ Rupay cards. The district Civil Supply Department is making arrangements to provide swiping machines to urban Fair Price (FP) shop dealers to encourage cashless payments. ICICI bank is going to provide swiping machines to the FP shops. The government also ordered petrol bunk managements to take old notes from consumers. In the last 9 days, old notes worth over Rs 3,150 crore were deposited and nearly Rs 450 crore cash exchanged through the banks.
Even 9 days after demonetisation, the people are suffering a lot due to cash scarcity at ATMs and banks. More than 70 per cent ATMs have ‘not working’ boards and a few out of 931 ATMs of 44 banks are dispensing cash, including some SBI, Andhra Bank, HDFC & ICICI ATMs are cooperating for withdrawals.
Even those who managed to withdraw cash seem to be disappointed as they cannot withdraw more than Rs 2,000. There is a severe shortage of Rs 100 notes and thus people have to go to banks to get change for the notes again. “Almost all banks and ATMs of the district are in need of cash now. As the re-configuration of ATMs for the new Rs 2,000 notes has been completed, Rs 10 crore of the new currency notes will be placed in SBI and AB ATMs by Friday night,” BV Subrahmanyam, Lead bank District Manager (LDM) explained.