[orc]ATMs have come under immense scrutiny in the period following demonetization last year. Data with the RBI reveals that the number of ATMs in rural centres as of June 2017 is less than what it was in September 2016.
ATMs have come under immense scrutiny post demonetization in November 2016. Data from the RBI indicates that the number of ATMs in rural areas has decreased starting September 2016 for two continuous quarters, the first such occasion since June 2014. The total number of ATMs in the country has increased by more than 33% between June 2014 and June 2017.
RBI classification into four different regions
The RBI classifies regions in the country into four categories based on the population. The various places in which bank branches & ATMs are located are classified into the following
The above classification is followed both for the categorization of location of the bank branch as well as ATM.
Number of ATMs down in both Urban & Rural Centres
The total number of ATMs by the end of quarter in June 2017 was 2.23 lakh. Out of the 2.23 lakh, close to 62000 were in metropolitan areas, around 61000 in semi-urban areas, around 58500 in urban areas and the remaining 41000 in rural areas. The total number of ATMs by June 2017 has increased by more than 1/3rd compared to the 1.67 lakh ATMs by the end of June 2014.
Number of ATMs of some of the Public & Private Sector Banks comes down
In the rural centres, number of ATMs of the following banks has come down in June 2017 compared to September 2016. It is observed that the number of ATMs of major public sector banks (SBI etc.) and the white lable ATMs has increased while the number of ATMs of most other banks in rural centres has come down.
Banks whose ATM count in rural areas has decreased from September 2016 to June 2017
Banks whose ATM count in rural areas has increased from September 2016 to June 2017