BHUBANESWAR: Even as long queues were witnessed outside all the PSU banks and ATM counters across Odisha, no untoward incident was reported. People resented that many banks did not open extra counter even if it was first pay day after demonetisation.
While salary in districts like Nabarangapur is being paid on Friday, most banks in other districts too are expecting heavy rush on the day as they believe many salaried people skipped Thursday, which is considered auspicious and people prefer not to handle cash. Chairperson, SBI, Arundhati Bhattacharya who was in Bhubaneswar on Thursday to attend Make-in-Odisha conclave said there was no untoward incident reported at the SBI branches anywhere in the country.
“Though the lines were long at many places, the situation was normal. Of the 48,000 ATMs, around 40,000 machines were dispensing cash till evening. There was no cash out situation and the machines were working,” she claimed.
The lines before banks, Bhattacharya said, were expected since the first day of any month generally witnesses rush as it is a pay day. Branches also witnessed long queues since more people on the pay day prefer to come to banks instead of going for ATM withdrawals.
On certain banks imposing restrictions on withdrawals on the pay day, she said, it varies from place to place depending on the cash flow and stock. “But there was no additional cap by SBI on withdrawal for the pay day. Rather people in some states themselves opted to take less cash so that other customers can have the opportunity,” the SBI chief added.