Blog Details

"Rs. 2000 Notes Demonetized: Assessing the Pros and Cons of RBI's Bold Decision"

The RBI's Move to Demonetize Rs. 2000: Examining the Implications

In a surprising and bold move, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently announced its decision to demonetize and it will continue to be legal tender the Rs. 2000 currency notes. The demonetization of the Rs. 2000 notes comes as a surprise to many, as those high-denomination banknotes had been brought via the government in 2016 as a part of the demonetization exercising.  This decision, reminiscent of the demonetization of high-value currency in 2016, has sparked widespread discussion and debate across the country. At that time, the government primary objective became to cut back black money, bogus forex currency, and promote a shift towards digital transactions. But, the reintroduction of demonetization for the equal denomination increases questions about the effectiveness of the earlier initiative. “RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das justify the decision to withdraw Rs 2,000 notes excerpting that the act is part of the central bank's currency management exercise.” The RBI have announced that the citizen have time span of four months to exchange or deposit their notes of Rs. 2000 from 23^rd May Onwards till 30 September. And circulated notes to be returned to banks. In this blog post, we will delve into the rationale behind the RBI's announcement and explore its potential implications.

 

Why Rs. 2000 are withdrawn by RBI?

 

According with the Section 24 (1) of the RBI Act, 1934, the Rs. 2000 note was originate in November 2016, with constitutional goal of immediately effect the economic need for money after the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes lost their legal tender validity. The Printing of Rs. 2000 Notes were discontinued by 2018-2019. The RBI said “In pursuance of the ‘Clean Note Policy’ of the Reserve Bank of India, it has been decided to withdraw the Rs 2000 denomination banknotes from circulation.”

 

However, they have not provided explicit and specific reasons to disclosed behind the RBI’s decision to deprive of currency the Rs. 2000 notes but it is said that the ‘Clean Note Policy’ as the reason behind the withdrawal of recently introduced Rs 2,000 notes. There are a few potential reasons that can be inferred based on past experiences and observations they are curbing illicit black money, combating counterfeit currency, lack of usage, damaged and encouraging digital transactions. Demonetization makes it difficult for hoarders of black money to store their wealth in the form of cash. The Rs. 2000 notes have been vulnerable to counterfeiting, and demonetization may help mitigate this issue by introducing new security features implemented in the replacement currency or a different denomination altogether.

 

Demonetizing the Rs. 2000 notes will temporarily disrupt cash-based transactions, particularly those involving large sums of money. Businesses, individuals, and the informal sector will need to adapt their operations to accommodate the change. The demonetization move aligns with the government's push towards a cashless economy. It is likely to accelerate the adoption of digital payment methods, encouraging people to rely more on online transactions and mobile wallets.

 

It's important to note that these are speculative reasons, and the RBI's official announcement or subsequent explanations may provide more insights into the specific motivations behind the decision. As per the RBI, “About 89 per cent of the Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes were issued prior to March 2017 and are at the end of their estimated lifespan of four-five years. The total value of these banknotes in circulation declined from Rs 6.73 lakh crore at its peak on 31 March 2018 (37.3 per cent of notes in circulation) to Rs 3.62 lakh crore constituting only 10.8 per cent of notes in circulation on 31 March 2023.”

 

People are seeking to place it as a demonetisation but it isn't a demonetisation and the impact on the economic system is constrained. Legitimate transitions continually had been going through, and will maintain to go through due to the fact a large portion of the money inside the system isn't always getting suffering from this.

 

Negative and Positive Views on RBI Decision:

 

Positives:

Improved public perception:

Implementing a clean note policy can enhance public confidence in the currency and the monetary system. By ensuring that the banknotes in circulation are clean and of high quality, it creates a positive impression and reinforces trust in the currency and which might absolutely increase in transactions in the economy.

 

Better functionality:

Clean and undamaged banknotes are less likely to cause issues during transactions. They are easier to handle, count, and process, leading to smoother and more efficient transactions for businesses and individuals alike.

 

Tackling black money and illicit activities:

Demonetizing the Rs. 2000 notes can be seen as a measure to curb black money, as it becomes difficult for hoarders of unaccounted wealth to store their assets in the form of cash. It also helps in combating illicit activities that rely on high-value currency notes. Even many of the people can use the certain portion of this Rs. 2000 in buying T.V. or Mobile or Refrigerator, some other house hold items, can do investments, Gold, small appliances, home furnishing, mobile phones, and membership services of salons and gyms could receive a shot in the arm etc. which otherwise the demand might would no longer have come into the system and might get higher in demand because someone became hoarding the Rs. 2000. Might be spending for these kinds of purposes.

 

Negative:

Cost of replacement:

Implementing a clean note policy requires the withdrawal and replacement of worn-out or damaged banknotes. This process incurs costs for printing and distributing new currency, which can be a financial burden for the central bank or monetary authority. There can be a few sentiment-related unfavorable effect in the very close to term until the modalities of exchange simmer down, but that would no longer be massive enough to dent the economy where impact can huge on some sectors like agriculture, construction, small traders, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), etc,.

 

Disruption in cash-based transactions:

Demonetizing the Rs. 2000 notes can lead to temporary disruptions in the availability of cash-based transactions in the economy, particularly those involving large sums of money. Businesses, individuals, and the informal sector may face challenges which heavily rely on cash transactions, requiring them to adjust in adapting their operations to accommodate the change accordingly. We also need to accept and figure out that not every holder of Rs. 2000 is hoarder whose want to salvage and have intention of the tax evasion.

 

Inconvenience to the public:

Demonetization can inconvenience the general public, especially those who primarily rely on cash for their daily transactions. It may require individuals to exchange or deposit their Rs. 2000 notes within a specified time frame, which can be burdensome for some, particularly those with limited access to banking facilities. We need to figure out that there could be genuine hoarders of Rs. 2000 also like senior citizens, housewives, small start-ups, students, paying guest, etc,.

 

The Clean Note Policy:

A clean note policy refers to an initiative by a RBI, central bank or monetary authority to ensure that the currency in circulation is clean, free from damage, and of high quality banknotes. It aims to maintain the integrity of the currency and enhance public confidence. The policy typically involves withdrawing counterfeit, worn-out, unfit or damaged banknotes from circulation and replacing them with new ones to ensure the smooth functioning of the monetary system and have set the standard for accepted forms of currency and quality of notes in use or damaged or defective should withdraw from circulation or replace it with the new ones under clean note policy.

 

Is it the end of Rs. 2000 Note?

With the RBI's announcement to demonetize Rs. 2000 notes, the specific details regarding the fate of these notes will depend on the implementation plan outlined by the central bank. There may be some scenarios like withdrawal from circulation, replacement with new denomination or currency conversion process, etc.

 

The RBI still accept that Rs. 2000 as legal money. The common public are permitted and can still transact with and accept Rs. 2000 payments but can deposits or exchange till 30 September 2023. At once the public can exchange up to Rs. 20,000 worth of Rs 2000 bills. As per the RBI, until 30 September 2023, all banks will still accept deposits into accounts and exchanges for Rs 2000 banknotes. After the deadline are these Rs. 2000 banknotes still will be legal is not yet been clear. 19 RBI Regional Offices with Issue Departments will additionally have the exchange capability available till 30 September. There are 2 options first is can exchange Rs. 20000 maximum at once of Rs. 2000 and second option is exchanging Rs 2000 banknotes is through business correspondents, with a daily cap of Rs 4000 for account holders.

 

The RBI may introduce a new denomination to replace the Rs. 2000 notes. This could involve issuing new currency notes of a different denomination or introducing enhanced security features to address counterfeiting concerns.

 

As per the RBI, "to deposits into bank account there is no limit to subject to compliance with extant Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and other applicable statutory/regulatory requirements. The objective of introducing Rs 2,000 banknotes was met once banknotes in other denominations became available in adequate quantities. Therefore, the printing of Rs 2000 banknotes was stopped in 2018-19. This is the routine exercise of RBI and people need not panic".

 

According to the economics experts the decision to buttress system liquidity and bring down short-term money market rates which have gone up recently. The short duration bonds rallied on the news. As per the quoted Rajeev Pawar, head of treasury at Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, “We will see the short-end continue to rally as about 1 trillion to 1.5 trillion rupees of liquidity come into the banking system and these five-year wills probably come down to 6.78%-6.75%.”

 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the RBI's announcement to demonetize the Rs. 2000 notes has generated significant interest and speculation. While the exact reasons behind the decision have not been officially disclosed, it is likely aimed at addressing issues such as black money and counterfeit currency. The move may have both positive and negative implications, including curbing illicit activities and improving public perception of the currency, but it may also cause disruptions in cash-based transactions and inconvenience for individuals. As the demonetization process unfolds, it is important to closely monitor the implementation details provided by the RBI for a clearer understanding of the impact on the economy and the fate of the Rs. 2000 notes.

 

- Team IFA