New Rs 100 banknote to depict Lumbini

KATHMANDU, OCT 17 -

The central bank has decided to change the design of the Rs 100 note to show an image of Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, on the reverse. The back of the banknote presently depicts a rhino.  

According to central bank deputy governor Gopal Prasad Kafle, the reverse of the Rs 100 note will show Lumbini, the birthplace; the temple of Mayadevi, the mother of the Buddha; and the Ashoka pillar that attests that Buddha was born in Lumbini.

He said that the new design was intended to emphasize that the Buddha was born in Lumbini in Nepal. Another Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) official said that it would take a year for the new notes to be circulated.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to change the designs of Rs 500, Rs 50 and Rs 20 notes in order to make them more easily recognizable.

A Cabinet meeting held on Sept 27 decided to change the designs of these bank notes , according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. A senior NRB official said that the central bank had also proposed changing the design of the Rs 1,000 note.

According to Kafle, the new notes will bear the name of the central bank Nepal Rastra Bank in Latin script, and the date of printing in both Christian Era and Bikram Sambat. Kafle said that the move was directed at ensuring that the country’s bank notes would be recognized outside the country too.

In the present notes , the name of the central bank is printed in Devanagari only, and they do not have the date of printing. The bank notes can only be dated by the tenure of the governor of the central bank whose signature appears on them.

Meanwhile, the central bank said that the size of the image of the animals on the reverse, like the swamp deer on the Rs 20 note, Himalayan tahr on the Rs 50 note and tiger on the Rs 500 note, would be slightly reduced.

“In order to print these notes , NRB will first issue a notice inviting expression of interest to pre-qualify capable printing companies,” said Kafle said. “We will then call for tenders from among the pre-qualified printers to do the printing.” He added that the central bank would soon start the tender process, and that it would take at least six months for it to be completed.

Meanwhile, the central bank has decided to issue a limited edition silver coins of Rs 1000 denomination and cupro nickel coins of Rs 50 denomination.

Source: The Kathmandu Post