Archive · 16 Dec 2025
AIRBEA Flags Shortage of Small Denomination Notes
The All India Reserve Bank Employees' Association (AIRBEA) has written to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) about a big problem.
They say there aren't enough small money notes like Rs 10, Rs 20, and Rs 50 in many parts of the country.
This is making it hard for people to buy things like groceries or pay for transport.
Big money notes like Rs 100, Rs 200, and Rs 500 are easy to find, but people need smaller notes for everyday things.
AIRBEA wants the RBI to make sure there are enough small notes and coins available.
They also suggest having more events where coins are given out.
Even though more people are using digital payments, small notes are still very important for many people.
AIRBEA has flagged an acute shortage of small denomination notes (Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50) across the country.
The shortage is particularly severe in semi-urban and rural areas, causing hardship to common people and small businesses.
Higher denomination notes (Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500) are easily available, but ATMs and bank branches struggle to supply smaller denominations.
AIRBEA has demanded urgent RBI intervention to ensure adequate circulation of small denomination notes and coins.
The association has suggested reviving coin melas (events) in coordination with local bodies to increase coin circulation.
- Who
- All India Reserve Bank Employees' Association (AIRBEA)
- What
- Shortage of small denomination currency notes
- When
- The issue was flagged on Monday
- Where
- Across the country, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas
- Why
- To address the widespread hardship to common people and small businesses due to the shortage
- Organization
- All India Reserve Bank Employees' Association (AIRBEA)
- Issue
- Shortage of small denomination currency notes
- Affected Areas
- Semi-urban and rural areas
- Affected Denominations
- Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50
- Recipient of Letter
- RBI Deputy Governor T Rabi Shankar
- Proposed Solutions
- Adequate circulation of small notes, wider circulation of coins, revive coin melas
- Impact
- Difficulty in daily cash transactions, hardship to common people, hurting small businesses
