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India Gazette
09-07-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
No plans to introduce Rs 50 coin, public prefers notes due to light weight: Centre tells Delhi HC
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The Union Finance Ministry has informed the Delhi High Court that it currently has no plans to introduce a Rs 50 coin, attributing the decision to widespread public preference for currency notes over heavier coins such as Rs 10 and Rs 20. In its affidavit filed on Tuesday, the Ministry cited findings from a 2022 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) survey, which revealed that users often avoid coins due to their weight, size, and lack of distinctiveness, factors that make banknotes more practical for daily use. The Ministry explained that coin issuance depends on public acceptance, usage patterns, and economic considerations, and as of now, a Rs 50 coin is not under consideration. This submission responded to a petition by advocate Rohit Dandriyal, who urged the government and the RBI to introduce a Rs 50 coin to enhance accessibility for visually impaired citizens. Dandriyal highlighted that Rs 50 notes currently lack tactile features, unlike other denominations, making them difficult to identify and use. The matter was heard by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal. The court granted the petitioner time to review the affidavit and respond, setting the next hearing for September 17. The government acknowledged that most denominations incorporate accessibility elements like intaglio printing and varied sizes. However, it admitted that Rs 50 notes lack such tactile markers. Additionally, simultaneous circulation of both old and new Mahatma Gandhi Series notes may contribute to confusion for those with partial vision. To address accessibility, the RBI launched the MANI app (Mobile Aided Note Identifier) in 2020 to help visually impaired users recognise note denominations through audio assistance. In 2019, a redesigned coin series was introduced, including Rs 1, Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10, and Rs 20, but did not include a Rs 50 coin. Previously, the Delhi High Court had directed the Centre and the RBI to examine the design and accessibility of currency in light of the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals. (ANI)
NDTV
09-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Public Prefers Notes Over...": Centre To Court Over Plans To Issue Rs 50 Coins
Delhi: The Central government has informed the Delhi High Court it has no plans to introduce Rs 50 coins at present, citing public preference for using banknotes over coins, especially for Rs 10 and Rs 20 denominations. A petition was filed earlier seeking issuance of Rs 50 coins to make it more accessible to the visually impaired. The petitioners said they had conducted a study on the challenges faced by visually impaired citizens due to the design of currency notes. Replying to the petition, the Department of Economic Affairs of the Union Finance Ministry said that a survey conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had shown that the public finds it inconvenient to use coins due to their weight and similarity in sizes across denominations. The reply said: "With regard to the feasibility of introducing a Rs 50 coin, it is submitted that the RBI conducted a survey in 2022 to analyse the usage patterns of existing coins and banknotes in circulation. The findings revealed a preference for banknotes over coins for the Rs 10 and Rs 20 denominations." The survey, said RBI, indicated that the public is currently more inclined towards using banknotes rather than coins in the Rs 10 and Rs 20 denominations. "Any decision to introduce a Rs 50 coin would depend on several factors including requirement of the economy, degree of public acceptance etc., in addition to the concerns of the visually impaired persons. At present, no proposal regarding the introduction of a Rs 50 coin is under consideration by the Department," the Centre told the High Court. The petition also stated that while Rs 1, Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500, and Rs 2,000 currency notes are designed to be accessible to visually impaired persons, the Rs 50 note lacks such features. Responding to the petitioners, the Centre said that identification marks in the form of raised printing are not present in the Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 50 denominations of the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series. "According to the RBI, the reintroduction of intaglio printing in lower denomination notes was found to be unfeasible, as the tactile effect of such printing tends to erode more rapidly due to the high frequency of handling," the reply stated. It added that the reintroduction of intaglio printing - a printmaking technique that uses variations of scratching, cutting or incising to create images - in these denominations would largely affect the cost and efficiency of currency production. The Centre further said that RBI had launched a mobile application called MANI (Mobile Aided Note Identifier) in 2020 to aid visually impaired persons to identify the denomination of banknotes.
