NIGHT FILLING OF ATMs TO GO IN 2019

New Delhi, Aug. 19: No ATM will be replenished with cash after 9 pm in cities and 6 pm in rural areas from next year even as two armed guards will accompany crisp notes in transit as per a new directive issued by the home ministry.

The deadline for putting money in the ATMs located in Naxalhit areas is 4 pm while private cash handling agencies must collect money from the banks in the first half of the day and transport notes only in armoured vehicles.

In a notification, the Home Ministry said the new Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) would come into effect from February 8, 2019 in view of the spurt in incidents of attacks on cash vans, cash vaults, ATM frauds and other internal frauds leading to increased sense of insecurity.

There are over 8,000 privately owned cash vans plying across the country, operated by nonbank private agencies, and they handle over `15,000 crore daily on behalf of banks. Some times, the private agencies keep currency overnight at their cash vaults. One armed guard must sit in the front along with the driver and another in the rear portion of the van while in transit.

No ATM will be replenished with cash after 9 pm in cities and 6 pm in rural areas from next year as per the Home Ministry directive. 4pm will be the new deadline to replenish ATMs located in Naxal-hit regions.

8,000

privately owned cash vans are plying across the country

`15,000cr

is handled on a daily basis on behalf of banks.

Private cash handling agencies have to collect the cast from banks in the first half of the day.

The new directive to come in to effect from Feb. 9, 2019.

Every cash van shall have one driver, two armed security guards, two ATM officers or custodians.

One armed guard must sit in the front along with the driver and another in the rear portion of the van while in transit.

Cash vans must be fitted with GPS tracking devices and 3 cameras

`5cr

is the defined amount a cash van will be allowed to carry in each trip.

The cash van shall be provided with a small CCTV system with at least five days recording facility and three cameras installed.

A security alarm with GSM based autodialer shall be provided with a motorised siren.