ASSAM: ATM GOES CASHLESS

Is it another effect of Digital India?

Incensed Hailakandi MLA dashes off letter to Cachar District

Incensed over not being able to withdraw cash from ATMs within the Silchar municipal areas during his visit to Silchar, Hailakandi MLA Anwar Hussain Laskar asked Deputy Commissioner, Cachar, Dr. Lakshmanan S for his intervention in the matter.

Dashing off a letter to Deputy Commissioner Lakshmanan on Wednesday, MLA Laskar stated that almost all the ATMs located within Silchar's municipal areas could not dispense cash for which he could not help a seriously ill patient. "I ran from pillar to post to withdraw Rs.20,000 from ATMs located within Silchar municipal areas from around 11 pm of June 26 to 1am on June 27 to help a needy patient but in vain, as all the ATMs were without cash," said Laskar.

The vocal MLA wondered if it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a digital India. "Our national goal as envisioned by Modiji is cashless economy, not cashless banks and ATMs," he wrote in the letter adding, "People are entitled to access their savings at the time of need. Denial of the same is violation of basic human rights. Most importantly, (the) common man with minimum cash requirements are worst affected due to cashless ATMs."

Laskar asked the Deputy Commissioner to take up the matter in right earnest with the Lead Bank Manager to ensure availability of cash in ATMs.