India Is Shutting Down ATMs Even as People Use Them More
Thursday, May 16, 2019
By Rahul Satija
Finding an ATM in India is getting tougher even as dependence on cash persists, thanks to tighter regulations that make it more costly to run the machines.
The number of automated teller machines in the country shrank in the past two years despite an increase in transactions, Reserve Bank of India figures showed Saturday. India already has the fewest ATMs per 100,000 people among BRICS nations, according to the International Monetary Fund.
The drop may continue as banks and ATM operators struggle to absorb the cost of software and equipment upgrades mandated by the central bank last year to bolster security. That risks undermining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign of increasing financial inclusion in a nation where cash remains king less than three years after he pulled most banknotes from circulation.
Photo courtesy of Joegoauk Goa.
Source: Bloomberg (link opens in a new window)
- Categories
- Finance
