Demonetisation: Currency situation has stabilised to a great extent, says Arun Jaitley

New Delhi: On the eve of end of the 50-day window of note ban on Friday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the currency situation has stabilised to a large extent. However, he didn't provide any indication on lifting restrictions on cash withdrawal from banks and ATMs.

"RBI has sufficient stock to inject a lot more currency which they will continue. Yesterday, I had gone around Delhi and we're getting reports from all over the country the crowds at the banks have eased significantly," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a surprise announcement on November 8 declared the old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes invalid.

While RBI will continue remonetisation exercise which is market driven depending on how much currency it will require.

"RBI keeps in releasing that money. There are three categories. One, legitimate currency which continues to be a legal tender...The second category is that Rs 500/2,000 notes are being added every day by the RBI. There is third category which is not new currency, but with effect from tomorrow the entire currency in recirculation will be the legitimate permissible currency," he said.

The Finance Minister further said that from tomorrow onwards banks will have only valid currencies.

When asked when the cap on withdrawal limit would be lifted, Jaitley said "please wait. When we decide we will let you know."

RBI directed banks to put a withdrawal ceiling of Rs 24,000 per account in a week and the withdrawal from ATMs have been limited to Rs 2,500 per day.

On rise in search and seizure operation by the tax department, he said "that only shows the mass scale and manner in which people have indulged in currency racketeering itself justifies the Prime Minister's decision of November 8."