All lenders, including public, private, rural and cooperative banks, have been asked to make arrangements to gather information on deposits of the Specified Bank Notes (SBNs).
All bank branches — other than those of District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs) — that have accumulated the SBNs as at the close of business today are required to deposit the same at any issue office of the Reserve Bank or a currency chest by Saturday itself. RBI further said the old high denomination notes “cannot form part of banks’ cash balances from the close of business as on December 31, 2016”.
However, DCCBs may retain the SBNs received on November 10-14 till receipt of further instructions. Further, banks maintaining currency chests have been asked to make necessary arrangements to facilitate the deposit of SBNs received through linked branches or other branches of banks and post offices.
Reporting of the transactions in Integrated Computerised Currency Operations and Management System (ICCOMS) will be enabled beyond 9 till all the deposits are received and accounted for.
“To facilitate storage of SBNs, banks maintaining currency chests may utilise additional space in their existing currency chest or additional storage space at the same centre with the proviso that it is as safe and secure as a currency chest,” RBI added.