Lok Sabha Question No. 1622 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-27
Subject: Self-reliance in Printing of Currency
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: ALOK SANJAR

## 1622. SHRI ALOK SANJAR :

wlll the Minister of FINA]{CE  be pleased  to state :

- a) Whether lndia has not become self-reliant in printing of currency notes and if so, the details thereof;
- b) Whether the Government  is taking any step in this regard in view of fake currency supplied from across  the border;
- c) Whether  the Reserve Bank of tndia imports  currency paper and security ink and if so, the details thereof;
- d) Whether the Government  proposes  to/ has been making efforts for maximum indigenous production  of currency paper  and security ink; and
- e) lf so, the details  thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY  OF FINANCE

(SHRI Pon. RADHAKRISHNAN)

- a) : As on date, lndia is self-reliant  in printing  of currency/  bank notes and the demand  is fulfilled by either of the four banknote presses  in lndia owned  by Bharatiya  Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private  Limited  (BRBNMPL)  and Security  Printing  and Minting Corporation  of lndia Limited (sPMClL).
- b) : The Government has taken various measures  to check the smuggling and circulation  of Fake lndian Currency  Notes  (FICN)  into the country, which inter-alia, include :
3. (i) The Unlawful Activities (Prevention)  Act, 1957 criminalises the production  or smuggling or circulation  of High  Quality FICN, coin or any other material as a terrorist  act.
4. (ii) FICN Coordination  Group (FCORD)  has been formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to share intelligence/ information among the different  security  atencies  of the States/  centre to counter the problem  of circulation  of FICN in the country. A Terror  Funding  and Fake Currency Cell (TFFC) has also been functioning in NIA to investigate terror funding and fake currency cases.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY  OF FINANCE

## DEPARTMENT  OF ECONOMIC  AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 1622

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27th JU[y, 2018/ 5th SHRAVANA, 1940 (SAKA]

## SELF.RELIANCE IN PRINTING OF CURRENCY

## QUESIIOT{

- (iii) A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between  lndia and Bangladesh to prevent and counter  smuggling & circulation  of FICN.
- (iv) Strengthening the security at the international borders by using new surveillance technology, deploying additional manpower for round the clock surveillance,  establishing observations posts  along the international border, erection of border fencing and intensive patrolling.
- c) : At present  there are no imports of Cylinder Watermark Bank Note (CWBN) currency  paper. However, a small quantity of CWBN paper, available  with various overseas  paper mills is being procured.  Only colour Shift lntaglio ink is being imported  at present.
- d) & e) : As part of effort towards  indigenization of banknote  raw materials, two  paper lines at Bank Note Paper  Mill lndia h^. Ltd. (BNPMIPL),  Mysore  and one paper  line at Security Paper  Mill, Hoshangabad  has been installed to manufacture  bank note paper for taking care of countq/s reguirement  for CWBN paper. The capacity of these paper mill is fully utilized to meet the requirement of currency  paper at present  as import substitute. New ink manufacturing unit is being set up at Bank Note Press  -  Dewas and BRBNMPL,  Mysuru to maximise the security  ink production  indigenously.