Delhi government urges RBI, SBI to exempt its staff from standing in queues

NEW DELHI: In the wake of banks in the city witnessing huge crowd after demonetisation, Delhi government has requested RBI and SBI to exempt staff of its Principal Accounts Office (PAO) from standing in long queues to ensure timely payments to employees, beneficiaries, vendors, and suppliers, among others.

Principal Accounts Office of Delhi government has written to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and State Bank of India (SBI) to allow its staff to deposit the payment instructions without standing in queues.

Payment instructions issued by PAOs are deposited with RBI and SBI for arranging the credit in the accounts of the employees, suppliers, beneficiaries, and vendors etc.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the demonetisation of high value currency notes on November 8, there have been long queues outside banks and ATMs.

In his written communication to RBI and SBI, Prakash Chand (Controller of Accounts - PAO) said that nowdays public was visiting the bank branches for withdrawal of money from their accounts and also depositing and exchanging their old notes.

"Keeping in view the rush of public in bank branches, it may be likely that the staff of the PAOs is also asked by the bank or security personnel to stand in queues which may lead to delay in the arrangements of timely payments.

"You (AGMs of RBI and SBI) are requested to look into the matter personally and make necessary arrangements to allow the staff of PAOs to deposit the payment instructions without standing in queues," Chand said in the communication.

To manage the crowd outside banks and ATMs, Delhi Police has also deployed about 12,000 personnel at these places.