New Delhi: After furious complaints from foreign diplomats protesting against weekly cash withdrawal caps for foreign embassies, the Government has now ordered banks to “allow Embassy officials with identity cards to withdraw money on a priority basis”. Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar met the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Frank Hans Dannenberg Castellanos — who is also ambassador of the Dominican Republic — on Thursday in a meeting where the Government promised to consider the demands of the diplomats including lifting of the weekly Rs 50,000 withdrawal cap for foreign embassies.
At the same time, India said it was “confident that the Missions would bear with the temporary difficulties that arise” in the demonetisation process.
On Thursday, the MEA said, “The MEA has received communications from some Embassies about the problems they face in the context of the demonetisation. With a view to avoid inconveniencing their operations, the ministry has been in discussion with authorities in the Government on this matter. The finance ministry, as a consequence, is being asked to issue directives to banks to allow Embassy officials with identity cards to withdraw money on a priority basis.”
