Question : Printing of Rs. 50 and Rs. 200 Notes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 149
TO BE ANSWERED ON 15th DECEMBER, 2017/24TH AGRAYAHANA SAKA, 1939

Printing of Rs. 50 and Rs. 200 Notes

149. SMT. KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:
SHRI J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY:
QUESTION

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has printed new notes of Rs.50 and Rs.200 and other coins;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) the details of the security ensured for avoiding duplication of each note and coin; and
(d) the precautions taken by the Government to avoid duplicate notes circulation in the market?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(SHRI P. RADHAKRISHNAN)

(a): Rs. 50 and Rs. 200 banknotes of Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series have been put into circulation. No new coins have been minted by the Government.
(b): Periodical replacement of old series notes with new series is a standard international practice. Review of denomination and design of banknotes is an on-going process, conducted by the Reserve Bank of India from time to time based on economic factors and monetary reviews. The Mahatma Gandhi (New) series banknotes in the denominations of Rs 2000 and Rs.500 were introduced in November 2016. Rs 50 and Rs 200 bank notes of Mahatma Gandhi (New) series have been introduced with effect from August 18 and August 24, 2017 respectively.
(c) & (d): Incorporating new security features/designs in the banknotes to stay ahead of the counterfeiters is an ongoing process. The security features are strengthened from time to time to enhance the counterfeit resistance of the notes. The new series of bank notes contain various security features which are difficult to counterfeit. The key security features of new series notes of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 and Rs 200 denominations are:
• See through register with denominational numeral can be seen when the note is held against it
• Latent image with denominational numeral can be seen when the banknote is held at 45 degree angle at eye level.
• Micro letters ‘RBI’, ‘????’, ‘India’ and the denomination numeral
• Colour shift windowed security thread with inscriptions ‘????’, RBI and denominational numeral. Colour of the thread changes from green to blue when the note is tilted
• Mahatma Gandhi portrait and Electrotype watermarks
• Number panel with numerals growing from small to big on the top left side and bottom right side
• Intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi portrait, Ashoka Pillar emblem, bleed lines and identity mark
• Denominational numeral with Rupee Symbol, in colour changing ink (green to blue) on bottom right
• Angular bleed lines on left and right side in raised print

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