Northeast India unprepared to tackle Corruption; several ATM’s remain closed causing mayhem!

After the unexpected yet well intended move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb out black money from the economy by demonetizing Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes, the nation however does not seem prepared for the makeover as despite assurances that ATMs would be able to dispense money after 2 days of the announcement being made by the PM, many ATMs across the nation remain closed thereby shattering peoples' hopes of being able to own some legal tender money!

Twitteratis have used their Twitter handles and social media profiles to make the PM aware of the mayhem caused to them due to ATMs remaining closed, despite the fact that notifications were made about them being able to dispense cash from today onwards.   While many ATMs have run out of Rs. 100 notes, some have even started dispensing Rs. 10 coins as change!

ATMs are not able to dispense Rs.2,000 notes, as banks, including the State Bank of India, sources say, haven't reconfigured them for dispensing the currency. The loading of cash into ATMs and configuration is done by outsourced companies.

Banks are waiting for the nod from their headquarters to take necessary steps in that direction. Banks will have to pay Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500 to configure an ATM to the outsourced company as service charge. But banks feel It will be a burden for them, if they have to do it case by case. So, they are asking the outsourced companies to do it centrally. But the companies are disinterested in doing so, highly placed sources say.

The people of Manipur are also badly affected by the demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes as the new currencies of Rs 2000 and currency of lower denominations have not yet reached the state. Many surgeries and treatments at the hospitals had to be stopped inspite of the assurance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that pharmacies and hospitals will accept the old notes.

There is rapid increase in criminal activities after rumours among the masses that they can exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes by paying less amount of money. Hundreds of people lined up in front of the banks to exchange and deposit money.

As most of the people do not have bank accounts in the state, they were facing problems in opening new accounts due to long queues outside the banks. According to those queueing up, the poor were badly affected as they had no money, ATM cards or any other alternative means to earn money.

In Meghalaya, many ATMs remained closed causing trouble to people who had been waiting for ATMs to open so that they could dispense some legal notes.

The states and the nation as a whole does not seem prepared to tackle the aftermath of Modi's surgical strike on Black Money as chaos, anger, confusion and apathy haunt the common man who run from bank to bank and ATM to ATM in search of some valuable cash for their survival.

-By Shweta Raj Kanwar

Image Courtesy: Twitter Handles