NRB begins distribution of clean, fresh bank notes for Dashain

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Sept. 15: The clean and fresh currency notes can be exchanged for Dashain from Sunday. 

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) started distributing clean and fresh bank notes to the public through banks and financial institutions from Sunday, considering the forthcoming festivals of Dashain and Tihar, when the demand for fresh notes is high.

The central bank has made arrangements for the distribution of fresh notes from its central office and all the seven provincial offices for the general people since Sunday itself, said Suman Neupane, Deputy Spokesperson and Information Officer of NRB.

Not only from the NRB but also the banks and financial institutions licensed from NRB themselves have arranged fresh note exchange for their customers, he said.

An individual can exchange new notes up to Rs. 18,500 of Rs. 5, Rs. 10, Rs. 20, Rs. 50 and Rs. 100 denominations.

This time, only Rs. 5 denomination new notes are available, while all other clean banknotes can be exchanged.

According to the NRB, it has made arrangements for exchanging clean and fresh bank notes until September 26 targeting the Dashain festival.

Neupane said that the NRB has been distributing clean notes from its Thapathali office in Kathmandu for general people.

Similarly, the facility of exchanging clean bank currency notes is also available at its provincial offices in Biratnagar, Janakpur, Birgunj, Pokhara, Siddharthanagar, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi.

He said that the NRB has also started providing fresh notes for the banks and financial institutions for distributing to people from today itself.

He said that a commercial bank would distribute new notes to the public through its specified branches inside and outside the Valley as the NRB has already instructed commercial banks to issue notice of branches providing exchange facilities on their website.

The regional office of NRB will provide new notes to BFIs for distribution to people outside the Valley, he said.

The NRB requested people to exchange new notes from their nearest branch of commercial banks which are distributing new notes. 

Nepal Rastra Bank, which has been distributing new notes for Dashain, has recently started distributing only clean notes.

While NRB has traditionally distributed new banknotes in denominations of Rs. 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 for the festive season, it has recently shifted its focus to circulating clean and fresh notes instead of newly printed ones. 

This decision is part of the bank's strategy to reduce the risk of new notes being quickly damaged during heedless use in the festive period.

The move is aimed at ensuring availability of quality currency notes for ritual use and festive exchanges while promoting the habit of using well-maintained notes.