Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that for humanitarian reasons, for the first 72 hours, that is till midnight on 11th November government hospitals will continue to accept five hundred and thousand rupee notes for payment.
Pharmacies in government hospitals will also accept these notes for buying medicines with doctors’ prescription. Also till midnight on 11th November, railway ticket booking counters, ticket counters of government buses and airline ticket counters at airports will accept the old notes for purchase of tickets. Also at Petrol, diesel and CNG gas stations authorised by public sector oil companies Consumer co-operative stores authorised by State or Central Government, Milk booths authorised by State governments, Crematoria and burial grounds.
However, these outlets will have to keep proper records of stock and collections. The Prime Minister also said at international airports arriving and departing passengers who have five hundred or thousand rupee notes of not more than five thousand rupees, to exchange them for new notes or other legal tender. The limit for foreign tourists will be not more than 5000 rupees.
Prime Minister said there is no restriction of any kind on non-cash payments by cheques, demand drafts, debit or credit cards and electronic fund transfer.