No instruction for recalibrating ATMs to replace Rs 2,000 notes: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reacted to the mystery of the disappearing Rs 2000 note, and the comments that suggest banks are recalibrating ATMs to replace high-value Rs 2,000 notes. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “As far as I know, no such instruction has been given to banks”.  On the other hand, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman directed banks to clear their pending loan cases of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by March 15.  “Banks have given us information on how many (MSMEs) they have restructured, reached out to, their loans and everything else. Few MSMEs that are lying pending before them, we have requested them to clear out all by March 15”, said Finance Minister Sitharaman while addressing a press conference in New Delhi on February 26.