Cuttack/Bolangir/Bhubaneswar: With ATMs across the country running dry, there is no respite for people in Odisha as well. Things have come to such a pass that people are comparing the situation to the demonetization days.
Cash shortage at ATMs has resulted in a crisis in SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack where people depend on a single ATM on the premises.
"I need to buy medicines but I am unable to get money even after trying four ATMs. It has put us in trouble," said an attendant of a patient at the hospital.
"In a medical campus, ATM is a necessity and it must have cash as people here need money on an urgent basis. Cash crunch is adding to our woes," said another attendant.
Similarly in Bolangir, things are no different as people have to stand in long queues in front of the ATMs.
"I don't have a penny to buy food. The situation is getting worse," said a local.
"We have to stand in long queues to withdraw cash, but often we are disappointed as ATMs run dry," lamented another local.
Meanwhile, BJP's national spokesperson Nalin Kohli told OTV that the country has no cash problems and the situation will be brought under control soon.
"The country has enough cash and there is no cash crunch. Even Finance Minister Arun Jaitly has clarified about it. He has also assured that within a period of three days, the problem will be solved," Kohli said.
It is believed that the use of Rs 2,000 notes, in particular, is causing the problem as money is being hoarded by political parties in Rs 2,000 denominations for the upcoming 2019 general elections. Several bank officials have also said that a lot of Rs 2,000-rupee notes are not coming back to banks.