Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: In a major relief for cash crunch India, individuals will now be able to withdraw cash up to Rs 2,000 from Big Bazaar and FBB stores by using debit cards.
In a statement, the Future Retail firm said all its stores, along with all FBB ones, "will be enabled to allow customers to withdraw up to Rs 2,000 from their own bank accounts, using their debit/ATM cards".
It said the facility is now available at 258 Big Bazaar and FBB stores in over 115 cities and towns across the country.
As per report, the State Bank of India has tied up with the stores of Big Bazaar and set up mini-ATMs to help customers withdraw cash while they shop.
The move will come into effect November 24 (Thursday).
Rs 2000 can now be withdrawn from Big Bazaar using debit card starting from this Thursday (November 24) #DeMonetisation
— ANI (@ANI_news) November 22, 2016
"We are trying hard to ease any difficulties faced by customers due to the demonetisation of some currency notes and support the government's initiative in meeting its objective," Kishore Biyani, Chairman, Future Retail, said.
"Now with customers being able to withdraw cash at Big Bazaar stores, they are welcome to visit our stores instead of qeueing up at banks and ATMs."
He also tweeted, "Now one can withdraw 2000rs from bigbazaar using your debit card from this Thursday onwards" (sic)
Now one can withdraw 2000rs from bigbazaar using your debit card from this Thursday onwards pic.twitter.com/UH3BjLZbra
— Kishore Biyani (@kishore_biyani) November 22, 2016
Last week, the government had permitted withdrawal of cash from petrol pumps through debit cards. However, it was only SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC and Citi Bank that were part of the tie-up.
Meanwhile, the facility to withdraw cash at petrol pumps will continue even after November 24, when the deadline for using old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 for making payment of essential services ends.
As per reports, so far only the State Bank of India has tied up with Big Bazaar.
In the wake of demonetisation move by the government on November 8, the whole country has fallen into a cash crunch society with people strugling to withdraw cash from ATMs.
