RBI raises ATM cash withdrawal limit to Rs 10,000

New Delhi: In a relief to the general public, the Reserve Bank of India on Monday increased ATM withdrawal limit to Rs 10,000 in a single day per card with immediate effect, but retained the overall weekly ceiling of Rs 24,000.

The RBI also increased the withdrawal limit from current account from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per week and said this facility will be extended to overdraft and cash credit accounts. This will help ease the cash crunch that small traders, who need to pay labourers and other supporting staff in cash, have been facing.

The RBI’s move to relax withdrawal limits comes as cash situation across the country has improved, with queues outside banks and ATMs getting shorter by the day. The weekly ceiling of Rs 24,000 withdrawal is likely to be relaxed in the coming days as the situation improves further.

According to Bank of Maharashtra executive director R.K. Gupta, around 75 per cent ATMs of the bank are functioning round the clock and all banks are pushing more than 40 per cent of their cash into rural and semi-urban area to ensure adequate cash availability.

“ATM cash supply situation is near normal. About Rs 8,000 crore on daily basis is being fed across the country. We are gearing up for higher loading frequency to meet the requirement,” said Rituraj Sinha, president of Cash Logistics Association.

The RBI had placed limits on cash withdrawals following demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on November 8, 2016.

The 50-day demonetisation period ended on December 30, and effective January 1, the central bank had increased the daily withdrawal limit from ATMs to Rs 4,500.