Viral Rs 1,000 Note Claims Are Fake, PIB Clarifies No RBI Announcement

The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit on Tuesday refuted online claims that a new Rs 1,000 banknote had been released or was scheduled for introduction in India.

The clarification followed the circulation of purported banknote images across social media platforms, including Instagram, X and Telegram.

Some posts featured people displaying a yellow-coloured note bearing the denomination of Rs 1,000.

Several users and content creators also suggested that the note had already been introduced or would become available on a specified date.

Responding to the speculation, the government agency clarified that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had not announced the issuance of a new Rs 1,000 banknote.

“Several social media posts claim that a new Rs 1,000 note has been issued. This claim is fake,” it said.

“The RBI has made no announcement regarding the issuance of a new Rs 1,000 note,” PIB Fact Check added.

The agency encouraged citizens to check official announcements and report suspicious claims to prevent misleading information from spreading.

Banknotes currently in circulation include denominations of Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 500 under the RBI’s Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series.

The government announced demonetisation on 8 November 2016. Consequently, the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes ceased to be legal tender.

The move sought to address black money, counterfeit currency and corruption.

Following demonetisation, the RBI introduced a redesigned Rs 500 banknote and a new Rs 2,000 denomination. However, the Rs 1,000 denomination was never restored to circulation.

In May 2023, the central bank announced the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 banknotes from circulation.

The latest clarification aims to counter speculation and prevent misleading claims about India’s currency system from gaining traction online.

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