RBI Update on ₹2,000 Notes Withdrawal

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reported that nearly 98% of ₹2,000 banknotes have been withdrawn from circulation as of July 31, 2024. The remaining ₹2,000 notes amount to ₹7,409 crore. The RBI will cease exchanging ₹2,000 notes on April 1, 2024, due to Annual Closing of Accounts, but will resume on April 2, 2024, at designated RBI offices.

Details of Withdrawal

Current Status: As of July 31, 2024, 97.92% of ₹2,000 banknotes have been returned.

Previous Statistics: As of February 29, 2024, 97.62% of ₹2,000 notes were returned, amounting to approximately ₹8,470 crore in circulation.

Exchange Facility Update

Temporary Suspension: The exchange facility for ₹2,000 notes will be unavailable on April 1, 2024, due to Annual Closing of Accounts.

Resumption: The exchange service will recommence on April 2, 2024, at 19 RBI offices across major cities including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

Background

Introduction: ₹2,000 notes were introduced in November 2016 following the demonetization of ₹1,000 and ₹500 notes.

Withdrawal Announcement: The RBI announced the withdrawal of ₹2,000 notes in May 2023 as part of its “Clean Note Policy.” Despite the withdrawal, the ₹2,000 notes remain legal tender.

Public Impact

The withdrawal of ₹2,000 notes is expected to cause some public inconvenience and strain on the banking system, reminiscent of the 2016 demonetization period.