CM asks bank to deploy mobile cash vans in hilly areas

DEHRADUN: In a bid to help people withdraw lower denomination currency notes in 10 hill districts of the state, chief minister Harish Rawat, while addressing a meeting on Tuesday urged top officials in SBI and other government-run banks to introduce mobile cash vans in remote areas. Rawat's request to senior bank officials came after reports of acute shortage of cash in SBI and other bank branches in remote hilly areas Garhwal and Kumaon divisions.
According reports, people living in 10 hill districts are worst hit due to demonetisation as the bank branches are also facing shortage of lower denomination currency notes. Official reports said that some people are able to withdraw and exchange old banned notes in from bank branches of Dehradun, Haridwar, Roorkee and Udham Singh Nagar, people in hills are not able to do so. Sources said the liquidity crunch in hills is due to the low cash deposit in bank branches here.
"People across the country are facing hardship due to demonetisation, but the situation is grave in the hilly areas. Banks must deploy mobile cash vans in the hills to help the people get lower denomination currency notes," said the chief minister.