FACT CHECK: Won't ATMs dispense ₹2000 notes anymore?
Ever since ₹2000 notes came into circulation in India, several claims have been galore. ATMs ceasing to dispense ₹2000 notes is the most common claim that rises from the dead every now and then. About two months ago, similar claims had surfaced. However, the government has been debunking such reports.
THE CLAIM
An article claimed that ATMs would no more dispense₹2000 notes as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stopped the circulation. It further said that only ₹100, ₹200 and ₹500 notes are being allowed in circulation.
"Now ATMs would not dispense Rs 2000 notes. Reserve Bank of India has ceased circulation for now. The Central Bank has removed the caliber from its 58 ATM machines. Other banks too say that only Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 500 notes are being loaded," the claim read. But how true is it?
THE TRUTH
The Fact Check wing of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), however, rejected these claims. It said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has not ceased circulation of ₹2000 notes. It further termed the claim "fake".
Earlier, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur had said printing of bank notes of particular denomination is decided by the government with the RBI to maintain desired denomination mix for facilitating transactional demand of public. "There is no decision to discontinue the printing of ₹2000 denomination notes," he had said in September this year.
Thakur had also informed that as on March 31, 2020, there were 27,398 lakh pieces of Rs 2,000 notes in circulation compared to 32,910 lakh pieces on March 31, 2019. He further said the RBI has informed that in view of nation-wide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, printing of notes stopped temporarily. However, the note printing presses resumed production in a phased manner, as per the guidelines issued by Central/State Government, he added.
