Currency printing expenditure rises 25% to Rs 6,372.8 crore in FY25: RBI annual report

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The expenditure incurred on printing currency in financial year 2024-25 was 25 percent more than the previous year due to an increase in indent for printing banknotes, the Reserve Bank of India’s annual report, released on May 29, said.

The expenditure incurred on security printing in FY25 was Rs 6,372.8 crore, up from Rs 5,101.4 crore in the previous year.

Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran plays a crucial role in designing, printing and supply of banknotes. BRBNMPL, a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank, has been a partner in the implementation of the central bank’s strategic goal of indigenisation of currency production.

To reduce dependencies on foreign sources, the RBI has pursued indigenisation of banknote production.

With persistent efforts, all the primary raw materials used in currency note — banknote paper, all types of inks (offset, numbering, intaglio and colour-shifting intaglio ink) and security features — are now being procured at home, the report said.

The value and volume of banknotes in circulation increased by 6 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively, in FY25. In volume terms, Rs 500 notes accounted for 40.9 percent, the highest share, of the notes in circulation, followed by Rs 10 denomination banknotes at 16.4 percent. Lower denomination banknotes (Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 50) together constituted 31.7 percent of total banknotes in circulation by volume.