Malkangiri: No cash. These two words greet customers at Automated Teller Machines (ATM) of banks in the district headquarters of Malkangiri for over a week now.
Bringing back memories of demonetization days, ATMs in the district headquarters including ATMs at various places in the district like MV-79 are running dry, forcing people to run from one bank to another in search of cash.
Adding to the woes of the common man, 20 cash machines in the district headquarter town remain closed for several days in absence of cash. And, the banks are clueless when normalcy would be restored.
As a result banks in the district have been facing long queues for the whole day. While banks do not hold sufficient amount of money to face the cash requirement of people in the district, people have to return from banks without money.
Left with no option, people depend upon Customer Service Points (CSP) of banks. Common people have to deposit specific amounts at CSP centers to get service while it is free elsewhere.
Customer Service Points are banking outlets run through outsourced agencies for carrying out limited transactions and sourcing of businesses. Customers can also withdraw and deposit money at CSPs by depositing specific amounts.
The State Bank of India, which enjoys monopoly for being custodian of government funds, holds the highest numbers of ATMS numbering 20 which remain closed from New Year.
Authorities of the state banks are clueless about it and said they were forced to close down in absence of required cash.
While some ATMs in the district show no cash message on the screen, other cash machines are closed down their shutters and people are suffering in the absence of cash.
In fact one can very well imagine the cash crisis in rural areas in the district where the economy has come to a grinding halt in the town areas.