Kasmir Monitor: New Delhi: Tuesday, May 16, 2017.
Sharing
particulars about import of paper for printing of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes
would affect India's sovereignty and may lead to incitement of an offence, a
RBI-owned bank note printing company has said.
Replying to
an RTI query, the Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL)
declined to share any details related to import of paper for printing of the
high- denomination notes.
The refusal
of information assumes importance as a media report has alleged that the paper
for printing the newly introduced currency papers was imported from a
blacklisted firm.
"The
information cannot be furnished since it falls under the ambit of Section
8(1)(a) of the Right to Information Act," the BRBNMPL said in reply to the
RTI application filed by a PTI correspondent.
The Section
bars disclosure of information "which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty
and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic
interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an
offence".
The RBI was
asked to provide name of company or supplier from which import of currency paper
was done along with details of quantity of import and copy of memorandum of
understanding or agreement signed by it in this regard.
The BRBNMPL
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India engaged in production
of currency notes. It is also the nodal entity for procurement of currency
papers.
The company
manages two presses Mysore (Karnataka) and Salboni (West Bengal). The present
capacity for both the presses is 16 billion note pieces per year on a two-shift
basis, as per the firm's profile.
The corporate
mission of the company is to produce bank notes conforming to international
standards set by central banking and monetary authorities of the world and
makes them available in adequate quantities to the RBI at competitive prices,
the profile reads.
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8, last year, announced demonetisation
of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in an attempt to check black money.
New currency
notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000, with new designs and foolproof security measures,
have been introduced by the RBI after the announcement.