Uttarakhand to start campaign against counterfeit currency
THURSDAY, 13 October 2022 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Radha Raturi has ordered the officials to run an awareness campaign among the public to raise awareness against the counterfeit currency in the State. She asked them to prepare a proposal for registering an e-FIR in counterfeit currency cases to ensure immediate disposal of the matter.
She also directed to organize a common training programme of Uttarakhand Police officers and commercial banks for the prevention of financial such crimes in the State. She stated this in the meeting of the 17th State Level Security Committee of Banks organized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday. She said that the police department will provide full cooperation to the RBI and other banks in providing training and assistance to their respective security personnel to tackle all potential dangers in banks. She also directed the banks to make proper security arrangements including the installation of CCTV cameras in their premises along with burglary alarms with auto-diallers, fire alarms, biometric access, and a time lock. She also directed to conduct of regular fire audits of chests carrying currencies in banks and ATMs.
The RBI representatives also talked about the requirement of an increase in the security forces of chests carrying currencies in banks and ATMs in the bank premises and during the movement of funds. They said that the formation of a dedicated security task force is essential for efficient currency management in the State. At present, the security guards appointed by the banks are responsible for the security of 22 currency chests in the State while the police are responsible to provide security to 17 chests. The ACS also appealed to the banks’ representatives to extend their services in the remote mountainous areas of the State as it can play a vital role in preventing migration from many areas besides providing banking facilities to the pilgrims on the Chardham Yatra route.
The additional secretary (Home) Riddhim Agarwal, RBI security advisor Prabhat Ranjan, regional director of RBI Dehradun, and senior officers of various banks were present at the meeting.