Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released its annual report, and many interesting updates about currency have been shared. One of the biggest changes is that the RBI has stopped printing Rs 2, Rs 5, and Rs 2000 notes.
Rs 2000 Notes Return Almost Complete
The RBI shared that 98.2 per cent of Rs 2000 notes have returned to the banks. These notes had a total value of Rs 3.56 lakh crore. This means very few Rs 2000 notes are now with the public. The process to withdraw these notes is still going on.
Rs 500 Note is the Most Popular
The Rs 500 note is the most used note in India today. In terms of the number of notes, Rs 500 made up 40.9 per cent. When it comes to value, it held a large 86 per cent share.
Coins and Small Notes Update
The RBI also said that no new Rs 2 and Rs 5 notes will be printed. But coins are still in use. The number of coins increased by 3.6 per cent and their value went up by 9.6 per cent. Coins of Re 1, Rs 2, and Rs 5 made up 84.4 per cent of all coins in use.
Rise in Digital Currency
RBI’s digital currency, called e₹ (e-Rupee), grew a lot. Its value reached Rs 1,016.5 crore in FY25. This was a rise of 334 per cent. Among digital notes, the digital Rs 500 was the most used.
Fake Notes and Printing Cost
There was a drop in fake Rs 10, Rs 20, and Rs 2000 notes. But fake Rs 200 and Rs 500 notes went up. The cost of printing currency also increased to Rs 6,372.8 crore in FY25.
New Steps by RBI
RBI is making note handling easier through a project called ‘Sa-Mudra’. It will help with sorting, counting, and tracking currency. New rules for note sorting machines will start from November 1, 2025. Only BIS-approved machines will be allowed.
To help people get small change, the RBI is running Mobile Coin Vans and Coin Melas. Also, to help visually impaired people, a special app called ‘MANI’ is being promoted to identify notes easily.
