ATM cash withdrawals are coming back steadily, and so is deployment

ATMs to touch 365,000 by 2027, more in semi-urban, rural areas

Cash withdrawals from automated teller machines (ATMs), which took a hit during the past one-and-a-half years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, have gained momentum once again as normalcy in economic activity is returning with infections ebbing.

Cash withdrawals from ATM through debit cards were close to Rs 2.5 trillion in March 2020. After the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25, 2020 withdrawals almost halved to around Rs 1.3 trillion. They started to pick up in the later part of 2020, and reached a peak in March 2021, touching Rs 2.84 trillion. After dipping briefly during the months of April,