@Responding-to-a-query-filed-by-an "RTI "activist who sought clarity on whether any time has been fixed for banks to have lunch breaks, the Reserve Bank of India, in its reply, said there were no fixed hours stipulated by it. Haldwani-based businessman Pramod Goldie, also an old currency collector, said he had filed queries about specific bank procedures, both private and public, after facing "random, arbitrary diktats" by staff members in the past several months.
RBI's reply, dated March 10, 2007 said, "RBI, department of banking regulation (DBR) has not prescribed any lunch time for banks."
Goldie also inquired if banks have been barred from accepting deposits in denominations such as Rs 1,111 and Rs 2,222, claiming that a few of them had refused to take sums in these values. To this, RBI said that there is "no guideline that says one cannot deposit Rs 1,111 and Rs 2,222 in banks."
"As a businessman, I receive and give away cheques in specific denominations. I was told by bank officials that they cannot accept these deposits," added the activist.
RBI's reply also mentioned that banks cannot force customers to stay outside and lock gates during 'lunch break' hours. "Many of my staff members who went to deposit money earlier were made to stand outside banks while the gates remained locked for lunch break. Bank officials are not supposed to treat customers in this way. Guidelines clearly state that there has to be someone at the counter to attend to its customers," Goldie added.
The activist has been collecting old currency since the past 40 years and claims to have a collection of over eight lakh rare and old currency notes. Goldy has got notes ending with the numbers 101, 786, 420, 100, 2016, 9999 and many other combinations.
