Counterfeiting New Notes Will Be Very Difficult, Says Economic Affairs Secretary

The possibility of counterfeiting the new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 denominations is very low because they are completely indigenous, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said today (15 December).

ANI quoted Das as saying that this was the first time that currency notes were designed in-house with superior security features, thus making them difficult to counterfeit.

Das said the government's initial focus was on printing Rs 2,000 notes "to replace the value that was taken out of the market", but now the focus is on printing more Rs 500 notes. Cash will be airlifted to areas suffering from shortage of currency notes, he said, adding that the emphasis now is on ensuring enough cash availability in rural areas.