Government Allows Utility Payments With Old Currency Notes Till November 14
Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes can be also used for payment of court fees.
The government on Friday extended the deadline to use old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes for utility payments like hospitals bills, railway tickets, airline tickets etc for another 72 hours.
Citizens can now pay for these services with old currency notes till the midnight of November 14, the finance ministry said in a statement.
The government has been closely monitoring the implementation of the decision. Considering various representations received from different quarters in the matter, it has now been decided that the existing exemptions may be extended until the expiry of November 14, 2016.Finance Ministry Statement
The government also said that old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes can be used for payment of court fees.
It tweaked a few regulations regarding payments for these exempted services. Payment towards utility bills will be restricted to only individuals, households for arrears and current bills, the finance ministry said. Customers will now require an identity proof for transactions in consumer cooperative stores.
The road ministry extended the suspension of toll payments till midnight of November 14, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari tweeted.
Since the prime minister's announcement on November 8, hoards of panic-stricken people have been queuing up outside banks and ATMs, which opened after two days on Friday to exchange or deposit their old banknotes.
Earlier in the day, the Reserve Bank of India issued a statement assuring people that there is no shortage of cash available with banks.
There is enough cash available with banks and all arrangements have been made to reach the currency notes all over the country. Bank branches have already started exchanging notes since November 10, 2016Reserve Bank of India