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Abnormal delay in issuing cheque books decried: Andhra Bank
The unprecedented demand for cheque books post-demonetisation is causing inordinate delay in issuing cheque books by the bank’s headquarters. Against the seven days earlier, it is taking at least a month to issue cheque books.
Hyderabad: The unprecedented demand for cheque books post-demonetisation is causing inordinate delay in issuing cheque books by the bank’s headquarters. Against the seven days earlier, it is taking at least a month to issue cheque books.
The request for issue of cheque books swelled to 30 against the earlier four or five requests a day. However, the delay is defeating the government’s objective of encouraging the cashless transactions.
Farmers, employees and traders have been hit hard by the delay. Traders in small towns, who are not aware of cashless transactions, are dependent on cheques to transact business.
The delay is attributed to head office issuing the cheque books with customers name printed on it unlike the earlier system.
Earlier, they were issued at the bank branch level. The shortage of cheque books in rural areas is more poignant. People prefer cheque books to cashless transactions though POS machines as it is 2 per cent costlier.
A youth Mallesh appealed to authorities to exempt patients purchasing medicines from payment of additional charges during emergencies.
In rural areas, there is a shortage of ATMs, POS machines and also cheque books. Banks have been unable to meet the demands for cheque books from farmers and traders in rural areas.
Managers at many bank branches threw up their hands in helplessness and were not in a position to inform customers when they would issue cheque books.
A home guard said that he was in receipt of a cheque book after 40 days of placing the request for the same.
That too, he had to make several rounds to the bank branch to get one. A commission agent, Balaji, belonging to Nalgonda lamented that he did not receive the cheque book even after 30 days of applying for it.
On an average, a trader issues 10 cheques a day. Sometimes, he issues 20 to 30 cheques during the course of his business.
Unable to cope with the demand, the bank staff are advising customers to apply online and asking them to contact relevant call centres in case of delay. In most cases, calls placed with the call centres are returning unattended.
Mails placed to various bank authorities have been evoking no response for days together unlike the earlier, when the mails were answered within 48 hours.
A trader, Mahesh, said that his mail, sent 10 days ago to know status of his cheque book, was not answered even till date. Alternative methods of contacting the authorities through SMSes are proving futile.
SMS sent to Andhra Bank on the number 9666606060 is showing error 50. According to a customer, Srikant, people are vexed sending SMSes since they are not at all being answered.
The customers are not able to undertake many transactions for want of cheque books. People appeal to banks to show initiative to issue cheque books on time. Then only, cashless economy will become feasible.
