HYDERABAD: More than two weeks after the Reserve Bank of India notified exchange of demonetised notes for NRIs and resident Indians, many returning home after a stint abroad are caught unaware.
At RBI Hyderabad, a notice reads that exchange of the notes will be done for non-resident Indians and resident Indians who were out of India between November 9 and December 31 at the offices of the Reserve Bank in Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Nagpur. However, those hailing from the city who returned from abroad in the recent past wonder why the facility was not extended to Hyderabad even as they claim they were not told about it at the airport at the time of their landing.
“When I filled out my form for exchange of notes at the behest of customs officials, I was told I could go to the RBI and exchange them. They did not say I could not do it at Hyderabad,” says Sheik Syeduddin Ahmed, a student who returned from Australia on January 6. “I will now have to spend more than the money in hand to go to other RBI branches for an exchange,” he added.
Several NRIs who gathered outside RBI in Hyderabad recently, made similar complaints and wrote a representation to the bank airing their grievances. They also felt groused about unwillingness of the bank to accept third party representation. “Our money that we should have been allowed to exchange is now worthless. First it was the ATMs, now this,” grumbled another NRI Sheik Mahmood, who returned from Saudi Arabia two weeks ago. RBI has permitted a one-time exchange of old notes up to March 31 for resident Indians while NRIs who were not in India between November 9 and December 30 can exchange the demonetised currency up to June 30, up on producing identity proof.
