RBI takes steps to plug currency shortage

14 Aug 2013 Evaluate

In a move to plug shortage of currency in circulation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come out with an incentive scheme for banks to ensure distribution of notes and coins to the public. The Apex Bank, taking into consideration recent developments in the area of exchange and distribution of bank notes and coins to the public, has reviewed the existing scheme of incentives and penalties.

As per the incentive scheme, banks would get Rs 2 against earlier provision of Re 1 per packet for exchange of soiled notes in denominations up to Rs 50. The incentive would be Rs 25 per bag for distribution of coins over the counters. This incentive would be paid on the basis of net-withdrawal from currency chest, without waiting for claims from banks. However, penalty on account of detection of counterfeit notes by the apex bank from soiled note remittance of banks and in currency chest balances will be three times the notional value of counterfeit notes.

Besides, RBI also has ordered banks to put in place a system of checks and balances, to ensure that coins are distributed to retail customers in small lots and not to bulk. Further more, the apex bank would reimburse 50% of capital expenditure in case of urban/metro centres and 75% of capital expenditure for rural and semi urban centres.

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