The government has told Parliament that 2.17 lakh counterfeit currency notes of varying denominations were detected in the current financial year up to 2024–25, marginally lower than the 2.23 lakh pieces seized in the previous fiscal.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Monday, said the bulk of the fake currency comprised ₹500 notes of the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series, with 1,17,722 pieces detected. These were followed by 51,069 counterfeit notes of ₹100 and 32,660 of ₹200 denomination.
“Government of India, in consultation with Reserve Bank of India, reviews the effectiveness of security features of banknotes from time to time and undertakes measures to introduce new security features in accordance with Section 25 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Incorporating new security features/new designs in the banknotes to stay ahead of the counterfeiters is a continuous process,” Chaudhary said.
On a separate matter, the Minister informed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had recorded steady growth in the net fixed assets of private limited companies, rising by 7.6 per cent in 2021–22, 10.3 per cent in 2022–23, and 10.2 per cent in 2023–24, based on corporate financial statements from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
The RBI also compiles data on investment intentions of private corporates, drawing on inputs from select banks and financial institutions. According to the August 2024 RBI Bulletin, the number of projects sanctioned more than doubled from 401 in 2021–22 to 944 in 2023–24. During the same period, the sanctioned project cost surged from ₹1.4 lakh crore to ₹3.9 lakh crore.
Also read: ₹33.56 lakh in fake notes seized near India-Bangla border
Chaudhary said the government had undertaken a series of measures to boost investor confidence and attract private capital, with a strong emphasis on capital expenditure, infrastructure development, financial reforms, and ease of doing business.
Key initiatives include the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, credit guarantee programmes, liberalisation of foreign direct investment (FDI) in sectors such as defence, retail and insurance, and regular reviews of the FDI policy.
Substantial infrastructure investments are being channelled through mechanisms such as Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs), and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme.
Institutions including the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) are providing long-term financing for infrastructure projects.
The Union Budget for 2025–26 also introduced measures such as the Partial Credit Enhancement (PCE) facility, the Urban Challenge Fund, and an expanded Harmonised Master List of infrastructure to sustain investment momentum.
Follow us
