BHUBANESWAR: A year and half after the Centre announced demonetisation, the horror of cash crunch is back as ATMs are running dry once again. However, the problem, this time, is limited to ATM kiosks of the State Bank of India (SBI).In the State Capital, customers of the largest nationalised bank have been rushing from one ATM kiosk to another hoping to withdraw cash in vain. The Express visited 11 ATMs of SBI across the City and found the kiosks in Mancheswar, GGP Colony, Rasulgarh, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate, Cuttack Road and Nayapalli dry. While the shutters were down at most kiosks, notice of “no cash” was pasted at others.
A security guard at one of the ATM kiosks of SBI informed that the cash crunch has been going on for the last one week. “The officials load the cash but the ATMs are running dry. Such problem was not witnessed in the last few months,” he said.SBI’s Customer Services and Channel Management DGM Girish Chandra Nayak said, “Nearly 90 per cent of SBI ATMs in the State did not face cash crunch. In the last few days, about 20 per cent are facing the problem,” he told The Express. Though there was no shortage of cash, currencies of all denominations (`100, `200, `500 and `2,000) were not available which has led to cash crunch in the ATMs, he added. Stating that there has been an internal disturbance in cash distribution, the DGM said immediate steps have been taken and competent authorities requested for supply of cash. “We are hopeful that the issue will be solved very soon,” he said.
SBI’s PRO Braja Kishore Nayak admitted that some of the ATM kiosks were running out of cash but asserted that the situation in the State was not alarming as other parts of the country.In private banks of the City, cash dispensation was smooth. “As the number of free transactions at ATMs of non-home banks is three times a month, we are facing problems when our bank’s ATMs are running out of cash,” an agitated customer said.The problem of cash crunch was, however, not felt at Sambalpur. Of the five ATMs verified, one was not dispensing cash because of technical snag. Both nationalised and private bank kiosks faced no trouble in dispensing cash.
The cash shortage was also not felt in Rourkela where there are 87 ATMs of SBI. According to SBI’s Regional Manager BB Das, the available cash would last for eight to 10 days with restricted supply. Only three ATMs at remote Tensa, Barsuan and Bimlagarh are affected as cash could not be supplied, he said.
However, 30 ATMs and 16 branches of the SBI attached to the bank’s currency chest at Sundargarh town are facing acute shortage of `100 and `200 denominations. Three days ago, it had received `20 crore remittance in `500 and `2,000 denominations from the UCO Bank, Rourkela which would last three to four days.
SBI’s currency chest at Rajgangpur town in Sundargarh district is attached to 12 ATMs and eight branches which too are affected and with restricted supply, it would last for another 10 days.Regional Manager of SBI, Jharsuguda SK Das said the currency chest at Jharsguda town is attached to 31 ATMs and 15 branches where they have huge deficit of `500 and `2,000 denominations. With restricted supply of `100 and `200 denominations, the dispensation would run for some days.The Brajrajnagar chest of SBI in Jharsuguda district is attached to 12 ATMs and five branches and they have run dry of `500 and `2,000 denominations, while `18 crore is available in `100 and `200 denominations to last for another 10 days. Das said the shortage of currency in his jurisdiction is witnessed since April 1.