Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has expressed his unhappiness over the failure of the banks even three weeks after demonetisation was announced in easing the hardship of the people.
Naidu, who has been asked by the Centre to head the panel of the five Chief Ministers to suggest ways to normalise the situation arising out of cancellation of big currency notes said that the failure of the bankers and their refusal to cooperate was bringing a bad name to the Government in the eyes of the people.
Naidu, who had received a call from the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely this morning requesting him to take the responsibility of heading the five CM’s panel told the review meeting with the bankers that he will not tolerate the laziness of the banks and demanded to know why the ATMs were not restored even after three weeks.
Naidu expressed over grave concern that the Andhra Pradesh did not have sufficient smaller currency to pay the pension and the salaries to the Government employees in next three days. “This is a big challenge facing the Government”, he said urging the bankers to come up with the alternative ways and ensure that money reaches even the last beneficiary in the first week of December.
“Even 20 days later the bankers do not have exact information regarding the central server. RBI which is supposed to coordinate among all the banks was not playing its key role in this critical hour”, Chandrababu said adding that even the lead bankers were not coming to the daily review meeting. “Even the bankers who were coming to the meeting do not have the correct information. Then what is the use of a review meeting”, Naidu asked angrily.
“AP was not getting the required amount of smaller currency. Though the people were depositing huge amounts of money in the banks, there was no cash for them to withdraw the money from the banks”, he added.
Warning the bankers against ignoring the sufferings of the people Naidu said that he has not noticed any change in the situation since November 16.