Question : Value of Currency Notes in Indian Languages

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA
UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 1745
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25TH NOVEMBER, 2016/4TH AGRAHAYANA, SAKA, 1938

VALUE OF CURRENCY NOTES IN INDIAN LANGUAGES

1745. SHRI RAMA CHANDRA HANSDAH:

QUESTION
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the value of the currency notes are mentioned in different Indian languages and scripts;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the objective behind the convention; and
(c) the criteria/guidelines for incorporating a language or script in the currency
notes?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY FOR FINANCE
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) to (c): The Indian banknotes are printed in two languages, English and Hindi. In addition, the other languages printed on the language panel of the Indian notes are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Inclusion of languages on Banknotes is more a part of design and a matter of convention and in terms of Section 25 of RBI Act 1934, “The design, form and material of banknotes shall be such as may be approved by the Central Government after consideration of the recommendations made by the Central Board”.