Wednesday, March 6, 2013

ATMs in police stations soon

The state home department and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have found an innovative solution for ATM thefts in the state. Soon, you would find ATM machines placed inside police stations and chowkis across Gujarat. 

During a discussion on the subject last week, the home department offered banks a corner in police stations to set up new ATMs. 

"We have told RBI that in return for the space provided to the banks in police stations, the banks should help equip the police stations with CCTV cameras, water coolers, furniture and other facilities. It is a win-win situation," said S K Nanda, additional chief secretary, home. 

This exercise, he felt, would also break barriers between police and public, which shies away from police stations, apart from giving customers a sense of safety during cash withdrawals. 

Unguarded ATMs have been a favourite target for criminals. 

Apart from attempts to break open ATMs and extricate the cash, there have been instances of entire ATMs being taken away at night. 

The RBI has accepted the proposal and communicated this to banks which often try to cut costs by not providing round-the-clock guards at ATMs. If ATMs are installed at police stations, private security guards would not be needed.

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