No proposal to introduce ₹50 coin as public prefers notes: Centre to HC

The Centre told Delhi High Court there is no plan to issue a ₹50 coin, citing RBI findings that people prefer banknotes over coins due to weight, size, and ease of daily use

The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court that there is currently no plan to introduce a ₹50 coin in circulation. The statement was made in response to a plea seeking directions for the issuance of such a coin, Bar and Bench reported. 

Citing public preference, the government said, “With regard to the feasibility of introducing a ₹50 coin, it is submitted that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducted a survey in 2022 to analyse the usage patterns of existing coins and banknotes in circulation. The findings revealed a preference for banknotes over coins for the ₹10 and ₹20 denominations.” 

The Union Finance Ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs said that the RBI survey revealed practical issues with the use of coins. According to the reply, the size and weight of coins — and the lack of significant difference in size between denominations — made them inconvenient for daily use. It added that the introduction of any new coin depends on several factors such as the public’s willingness to use it and how often it would be used in everyday transactions.     

  “As indicated by the Reserve Bank of India’s survey, the public currently shows a preference for banknotes over coins in the ₹10 and ₹20 denominations... At present, no proposal regarding introduction of a ₹50 coin is under consideration by the department,” the government told the court.

 

Petition highlights concerns of the visually impaired

The petitioners had argued that the lack of accessible features on the ₹50 note made it difficult for visually impaired individuals to identify the denomination. They said that their study revealed the ₹50 note lacks tactile markings such as intaglio printing, unlike most other currency notes, the news report said. 

“The ₹50 note does not contain any intaglio printing or tactile markings, thereby rendering it inaccessible to visually impaired individuals and leaving no effective substitute in circulation,” the plea said.   

 

RBI cites cost, durability in ruling out tactile features

Responding to these concerns, the Centre said that identification features like raised printing are absent from ₹10, ₹20, and ₹50 notes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series. It cited RBI’s position that adding intaglio printing to these notes is not practical. 

“According to the Reserve Bank of India, the reintroduction of intaglio printing in lower denomination notes was found to be unfeasible, as the tactile effect of such printing tends to erode more rapidly due to the high frequency of handling,” the Centre said.

To address accessibility, the Centre said the RBI had launched a mobile application called MANI (mobile aided note identifier) in 2020. The app helps visually impaired users identify the denomination of banknotes using their mobile phones.