The Shocking Truth About ₹200 Notes

The problem of counterfeit currency is making a comeback in the country. About 9 years ago, the central government took a drastic step to eliminate fake notes by suddenly withdrawing the old ₹500 and ₹1000 notes from circulation. However, the issue of fake notes has not disappeared.
The fake currency market is heating up again. In markets across Bihar, counterfeit ₹500 notes are circulating freely, and now fake ₹200 notes have also entered the scene. To combat the problem of fake notes, the government had previously demonetized the ₹500 and ₹1000 notes back in 2016, causing a nationwide stir. Following this move, the RBI introduced new denominations including ₹2000, ₹500, ₹200, and ₹100 notes. However, the ₹2000 note was phased out in 2023, and the remaining ₹500 and ₹200 fake notes are now spreading rapidly.
According to a report by Asia Net, the counterfeit ₹200 notes have created a panic in Nirmal district of Telangana. Merchants are now hesitant to accept these notes and are taking extra precautions during transactions. The fake notes look almost identical to the real ones, which is deceiving people and sparking a new conversation across the country.
On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a demonetization plan to combat fake currency and bring back black money stashed in foreign bank accounts. However, even after demonetization, the government’s goals have not been fully achieved. Counterfeiters are now replicating the ₹500 and ₹200 notes issued by the RBI, leading to the discovery of fake ₹500 notes in several locations.
As reported by Asia Net Hindi, the rise of counterfeit ₹200 notes in Nirmal district has made traders and locals more alert. Since these fake notes closely resemble the real ones, identifying them has become challenging, causing difficulties for merchants in their transactions.
Tips from RBI to Identify Fake Notes:
- Devanagari Script ‘200’: The real note has the number ‘200’ printed in Devanagari script.
- Mahatma Gandhi’s Image: The center of the note features a clear image of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Micro Lettering: The note includes micro letters such as ‘RBI’, ‘भारत’ (Bharat), ‘INDIA’, and ‘200’.
- Security Thread: There is a security thread embedded in the note, with ‘भारत’ and ‘RBI’ written on it.
- Ashoka Pillar: A symbol of the Ashoka pillar appears on the right side of the note.