India is soon to see a new currency note again! This time it would be Rs 20 banknote which will be circulated with enhanced features in the country. It needs to be noted that, Rs 20 was the only currency left out for a new makeover by RBI, when the central bank was busy upgrading new Rs 10, Rs 100, Rs 50 and Rs 500. Since November 2016, India’s currency chest has witnessed makeover with two new addition of Rs 200 and Rs 2,000. According to a PTI report citing a document of the central bank, the RBI will soon introduce a new Rs 20 currency note with additional features.

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However, there was not much mentioned in the report to how the new Rs 20 will look like. 

When demonetisation drive was announced in November 2016, scrapping down old Rs 500 and Rs 1000, the entry of two new high denomination notes namely Rs 500 and Rs 2000 was a clear indication the transformation of entire currency chest. Several factors hinted at this. 

First RBI introduced new Rs 200 to fill the gap between Rs 100 and Rs 500 in the month of August 2017. 

When Rs 200 was launched, RBI made its interesting move by giving a makeover to Rs 50, Rs 10 and latest, the Rs 100 banknotes.

There are similarities between Rs 10, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 200 to that of Rs 500 and Rs 2000. 

Apart from color, motif, size and numeral almost everything is same between Rs 10, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2000. Some of them are: 

Front

  • See through register with denominational numeral 
  • Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre
  • Micro letters ‘RBI’, ‘भारत’, ‘INDIA’ and ‘Numeral’,
  • Windowed demetalised security thread with inscriptions ‘भारत’ and RBI, 
  • Guarantee Clause, Governor’s signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhi portrait,
  • Ashoka Pillar emblem on the right,
  • Mahatma Gandhi portrait and electrotype watermarks
  • Number panel with numerals growing from small to big on the top left side and bottom right side.

Reverse

  • Year of printing of the note on the left
  • Swachh Bharat logo with slogan
  • Denominational numeral 
  • Language panel

Hence, one can expect Rs 20 to be on similar lines like above mentioned banknotes. This new Rs 20 can be a reality in the upcoming year 2019. 

RBI’s annual report for FY18 revealed that, there are about 10,016 million of Rs 20 aggregating upto Rs 200 billion. The latest data has seen a gradual decline in printing of Rs 20, as the currency was 10,158 million in volume terms worth Rs 203 billion in FY17. However, from March 2016, Rs 20 circulation has seen rise as it stood at just 4,924 million in that period worth Rs 98 billion.