"It wasn't Rs 2000 dhamaka but a billion-dollar dhoka...": Mamata Banerjee slams RBI's move

RBI on Friday announced that it has decided to withdraw the Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation but they will continue to remain legal tender.

Kolkata (West Bengal):West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday hit out at the BJP-led Central government after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notified to withdraw Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation and termed it "billion dollar dhoka" urging people not forgive those responsible for such a move.

RBI on Friday announced that it has decided to withdraw the Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation but they will continue to remain legal tender. In a tweet, the West Bengal CM said, "So it wasn't Rs 2000 dhamaka but a billion dollar dhoka to a billion Indians. Wake up my dear brothers and sisters. The suffering we have endured due to demonetisation can't be forgotten and those who inflicted that suffering shouldn't be forgiven."

RBI has advised banks to stop issuing Rs 2000 denomination banknotes with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, RBI said that citizens will continue to be able to deposit Rs 2000 banknotes into their bank accounts and/or exchange them into banknotes of other denominations at any bank branch up to September 30, 2023. The Rs 2000 denomination banknote was introduced in November 2016, primarily to meet the currency requirement of the economy in an expeditious manner after the withdrawal of the legal tender status of all Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes in circulation at that time.

The objective of introducing Rs 2000 banknotes was met once banknotes in other denominations became available in adequate quantities. Therefore, the printing of Rs 2000 banknotes was stopped subsequently in 2018-19, stated RBI. About 89 per cent of the Rs 2000 denomination banknotes were issued prior to March 2017 and are at the end of their estimated life span of four-five years.

The total value of these banknotes in circulation has declined from Rs 6.73 lakh crore at its peak as of March 31, 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 March 31, 2023.

"It has also been observed that this denomination is not commonly used for transactions. Further, the stock of banknotes in other denominations continues to be adequate to meet the currency requirement of the public," RBI said Friday.

"In order to ensure operational convenience and to avoid disruption of regular activities of bank branches, exchange of Rs 2000 banknotes into banknotes of other denominations can be made upto a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time at any bank starting from May 23, 2023," RBI said. (ANI)