2,000 currency note a headache for many

VISAKHAPATNAM: Getting change for the newly introduced Rs 2,000 currency note has become a herculean task for many.

The huge rush of customers to banks slowly decreased on Monday due to the distribution of only Rs 2,000 currency notes.

“Nobody is willing to accept Rs 2,000 note now as they are not able to get change for the same due to shortage and high demand for the Rs 100s and Rs 50s,” said P Keerthi Raj, assistant professor of Maharaja’s Post Graduate College in Vizianagaram.

Agreeing with her, P Venkateswara Rao, chief manager of Andhra Bank and lead district manager of all 29 banks in Srikakulam district, said the customers are not willing to take the Rs 2,000 notes and demanding only Rs 100 notes. Rao said they have requested the RBI to send more Rs 100 notes to the banks.

A gifts shop proprietor at Dabagardens said, “We are finding it difficult to provide change for Rs 2,000 for a gift purchased worth Rs 200.”

A cashier of a sweet shop at Seethammadhara said, “We accept the demonetised notes, but not the newly introduced Rs 2,000, which is difficult to be changed with lower denominations.”

A senior official from the State Bank of India said some customers had refused to accept the Rs 2,000 currencies and left the bank empty handed. The official said the rush would again increase when they start distributing Rs 100s and newly introduced Rs 500s, which is yet to land in the region.

Meanwhile, Vizag collector Pravin Kumar held a meeting with the staff of all banks in the district. He noted that there was a shortage of Rs 100 currency notes due to the high use and withdrawal of these notes by the people in the last four days. “We will hopefully get new Rs 500 notes and Rs 100 notes in a short while. I appeal to the people to cooperate with the government as well as the banks for now,” Pravin Kumar said.