Clean note policy

3 January 2011 05:30 pm - 47 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Central Bank is to take a series of new steps to educate the masses on the importance of maintaining a high standard of cleanliness in the use of currency notes and coins in circulation, Central Bank officials said.

The Central Bank implements its ‘clean note policy’ under the monetary law for this purpose.

Superintendent of Currency of the Central Bank C.B. Karunatilake told Daily Mirror that awareness programmes such as TV and radio talk shows had already been planned in this respect, even targeting school children.

Also, he said that foreign tourists did not like to use defaced, dirty and soiled currency notes during their stay in the country.

“Upon arrival in the country, tourists first get Sri Lankan currency notes through money exchange centres. If they get soiled or defaced notes, they will have a negative impression on the country too. The clean note policy is important in terms of tourism industry as well,” he said.

Mr. Karunatilake said that currency notes gets soiled or dirty due to improper ways of handling them.

“We see vendors, butchers and bus conductors handling currency notes in an unacceptable manner. Then, notes become unfit for circulation. We have to encourage good habits of using notes and coins,” he said.

Asked what kind of action would be taken against careless currency note users, he replied, “When any note is unfit for circulation, we will withdraw it to be replaced with a new one. However, if somebody has done it purposely, we will not issue a fresh one for him or her. It means he or she will lose the face value of the note as the immediate punishment.”

The Central Bank also says that the security features in a currency note disappear when it is soiled or defaced.

Mr. Karunatilake said that the Bank bears a cost for the printing of currency notes. However, he declined to give further details about the cost involved and the total face value of currency notes withdrawn each year due to be being unserviceable .

“There are certain things which we cannot divulge,” he said. (Kelum Bandara)

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Comments - 47

Ranjit W Tuesday, 04 January 2011 07:56 AM

Good action. and delayed action, but better be late than never. Our currency notes some times smell very bad and also they carry lots of germs.

pubudu Tuesday, 04 January 2011 05:01 AM

Well done!!,keep it up,what a smart way to print money again.This move directly affect to country's money supply and inflation will go up and up !!!!!

oyage podi guru Tuesday, 04 January 2011 05:27 AM

One does not have to be a tourist to complain about the roads.

Bernard Tuesday, 04 January 2011 05:39 AM

Encourage people to do money laundrying until a method is found, I mean wash and dry the notes not the other money laundrying...........

Bernard Tuesday, 04 January 2011 05:42 AM

We are not third world anymore.

Mushi Tuesday, 04 January 2011 05:49 AM

put more value to notes given by customers to butchers,fish mongers etc and then undervalue their notes when they give dirty notes.this is also a solution for rising meat, fish prices.

Ruwan Tuesday, 04 January 2011 06:08 AM

seems like you haven't been travelling lately....

Cynic Tuesday, 04 January 2011 06:56 AM

I hear the new 1000 rupee note gets spit upon on one side.

Kotte KusumKotte Tuesday, 04 January 2011 06:47 AM

No more blood money too.

Ravana Tuesday, 04 January 2011 07:35 AM

I heard that people are painting horns on someone's head !

cracko Tuesday, 04 January 2011 07:44 AM

May be good idea but the dirty notes is a refelection of poverty and a backward country. First take steps to improve peoples' lives. Notes will become cleaner.

Ranger Tuesday, 04 January 2011 07:52 AM

start cleansing the beggar and street dweller first. They handle a lot of this commodity every day.

Wara Tuesday, 04 January 2011 04:45 AM

I think you haven't been visited those areas for long. Now outstation roads are good. Only Colombo and subberb areas are have problems.

oyage podi guru Tuesday, 04 January 2011 09:12 AM

Paper money and coins, anywhere in the world, carry lots of germs.

oyage podi guru Tuesday, 04 January 2011 09:13 AM

The ordinary middle and upper class person also has germs on his/her hands.

knight Rider Tuesday, 04 January 2011 09:14 AM

treasure the money in hand thats practical enough,

Saradial Tuesday, 04 January 2011 10:03 AM

1st we have to clean the brain of people like you

James Tuesday, 04 January 2011 10:02 AM

nope - anemagekata is correct. a simple 110 k journey in sri lanka can take 4 hours while it takes only about an hour and a little more in other countries. roads are better than those days, but road quality and driving eas is not there. busses, slow drivers trishaws, etc cause huge trafic delays and hazzards.

James Tuesday, 04 January 2011 10:09 AM

yes benard. 4th world maybe????

suvero Tuesday, 04 January 2011 10:17 AM

wow.... lovely idea! like clean notes is the biggest issues facing sri lanka today ! I like how the issue raised is that foreigners wont want to use it. This too is geared at the people outside our country.

How about reducing the cost of living ? stupidity is in abundance these days...

pushpe Tuesday, 04 January 2011 10:31 AM

should improve the quality of notes to meet the requirements like water,soil, etc.. proof. this should be the 1st step.

as an example just check out the new LKR10 note.

Citizen Tuesday, 04 January 2011 11:39 AM

Actually we must laminate or frame them and keep them with us at the rate our currencies losing their purchasing power! A good idea from the CBG!!

Ferni Tuesday, 04 January 2011 12:21 PM

One reason why notes get damaged is because they dont fit your wallet. They are unnecessariy big, sure bit too awkward to foreigners after dollar notes.

tee Wednesday, 05 January 2011 04:10 PM

How about the latest coins.
These coins are very bad quality,
The coins are not worth for the value.
As these coins are very fast getting corroded.
Same time , the coins are pulling for the magnet.

Yehiya-Doha Tuesday, 04 January 2011 02:16 AM

Issue one shampoo bottle with note.

shameer Monday, 03 January 2011 07:32 PM

if this clean note policy can be successfully implemented, sri lanka will be a clean society soon..........

pasel Monday, 03 January 2011 08:27 PM

How do you are going to have transaction in fish and meat markets?

sumana siri Monday, 03 January 2011 08:25 PM

why dont you print notes similar to Australian notes,which are hard to damage easily.

wellwisher Monday, 03 January 2011 10:16 PM

Why not to pen a laudary to clean these notes.It will bring more employment for our youts.

Loku Pissa Monday, 03 January 2011 11:21 PM

This should have done decades ago.

Truth Exposed Tuesday, 04 January 2011 12:11 AM

Introduction of CASH CARDS like in Singapore will be a great idea to make lesser use of currency notes in day-to-day transactions.

anemagekata Tuesday, 04 January 2011 12:39 AM

The biggest complain tourists make is about Sri Lankan roads.

Tourists who stay in places like Dambulla, Galle or Nuwaraeliya say they are tensed up and tired by the time they go back to the airport.

MagodisThuma Tuesday, 04 January 2011 01:08 AM

What about Black Money ?.

Anushka Tuesday, 04 January 2011 01:32 AM

This is a good idea, but I doubt our people would take this seriously or realize its importance. They are the kind of people that cross the road in the middle of a junction when the crossing is just 10 feet away.

Cobra Tuesday, 04 January 2011 01:42 AM

The point is that there IS a law against the abuse of currency notes already in place. So what is the ha ho about it instead of taking steps to uphold that law?

Saradial Tuesday, 04 January 2011 02:03 AM

Its good move! we need attitude change in Sri Lankans in all aspects, Medias and Schools can contribute lot for attitude change.

Kotte Kusum Monday, 03 January 2011 05:38 PM

This is a very good Idea. No more smelly , sticky, and rolled up notes.

Just Another Citizen Tuesday, 04 January 2011 02:30 AM

A new definition to Dirty Money

Vicky Tuesday, 04 January 2011 03:02 AM

Good thinking...But in order to do that educating people is not enough. The materials use for printing the currency should be made of sustainable substances. Educating people with a low quality currency note will be in vain......

Bluff Bluff Tuesday, 04 January 2011 03:21 AM

It is a good move. At the same time let the hands of those who issue those currency notes too be clean!

knight Rider Tuesday, 04 January 2011 03:40 AM

got to create a CLEAN environment first. People have to learn to practice and respect cleanliness (not only in their homes & offices but the environment that surrounds them)

Naleen Pradeep Tuesday, 04 January 2011 03:45 AM

This is not practical in a third world country

Sampath Tuesday, 04 January 2011 04:01 AM

Need money laundering

Wara Tuesday, 04 January 2011 04:04 AM

Good, but it's very expensive for introduce such system. All Trains and busses should be computerised for that. Anyway it's good suggestion.

Saradial Tuesday, 04 January 2011 04:07 AM

Just implementing law want work. need attitude change, thats what they are trying to do.

malkanthi Tuesday, 04 January 2011 04:04 AM

Exactly I wonder why such issues take long for the authorities to realize? In some Asian countries soiled dollar notes are not accepted also they under value them.

SL Tuesday, 04 January 2011 04:39 AM

No we'll cut the top edge of the note to make it "clean"

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Clean note policy

Comments - 47

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