Come May 1 and the banks will increase charges on ATM cash withdrawals the free monthly usage by ₹2 to ₹23 per transaction.

This is in accordance with the notification issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on March 28 that permitted banks to hike charges on ATM cash withdrawals beyond the free monthly usage by ₹2 to ₹23 per transaction from May 1, 2025.

However, customers are eligible for five free monthly transactions (including financial and non-financial) from their state-run or private bank's Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).This means that customers need to adapt to new ATM culture.

According to RBI, they are eligible for free transactions (including financial and non-financial) from other bank ATMs—three transactions in metro centres and five in non-metro centres.

Wouldn’t the charges go “against promoting ATM culture and against the interest of customers?” Jaya Bacchan had asked in the Rajya Sabha. 

In response, the Modi government said that it wouldn’t — because ATMs needed to have enough cash for a large number of customers, and unlimited free use of ATMs could get in the way.

This, more or less, is the crux of how arguments go whenever ATM charges go up.