From a Correspondent

SHILLONG, June 19: Is the change of small coins by traders in the city causing artificial shortages of coins?

According to State Bank of India (SBI) officials, the coin vending machine at the SBI, Shillong Main Brach, is mostly used by traders. “We mostly find traders visiting this vending machine,” an SBI official told a group of reporters on Tuesday.

According to SBI officials for the year 2011-2012, Rs 50 lakh worth of coins were distributed to customers and for the current year, Rs 4-5 lakh has already been distributed.

Meanwhile, SBI officials also stated that they would ask the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials to increase supply of coins to the State.

Meanwhile, the SBI officials also informed that there are two mobile banks in Meghalaya who visit remote areas of the State for providing banking transaction at the doorstep of people.

Earlier, SBI chairman Pradip Chaudhari, as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the bank, donated an ambulance to the Christian Hospital.