Rs 2,000 notes worth Rs 10,000 crore left in system: RBI Governor
New Delhi (PTI): Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said Rs 2,000 denomination notes are coming back and only Rs 10,000 crore worth of such notes are still with people.
He exuded confidence that these notes will also be returned or deposited back.
"Rs 2,000 notes are coming back and only Rs 10,000 crore is left in the system. The expectation is that the amount will also come back," he said on the sidelines of the event here.
Earlier this month, Das had said 87 per cent of the Rs 2,000 denomination notes being withdrawn have returned as deposits into banks while the rest has been exchanged across counters.
On May 19, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took the financial world by surprise when it declared its plan to phase out the Rs 2,000 note, which had been introduced in 2016 as part of a rapid remonetisation effort.
This had followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to withdraw more than 88 per cent of the currency in circulation by invalidating the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
Public and entities holding such notes were initially asked to either exchange or deposit them in bank accounts by September 30. The last date was later extended to October 7.
On October 7, both deposit and exchange services at bank branches were discontinued.
Starting October 8, individuals were provided with the choice of either exchanging the currency or having the equivalent sum credited to their bank accounts at 19 Reserve Bank of India locations.
Individuals or entities can exchange Rs 2,000 bank notes at the 19 RBI offices up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time. However, there is no limit on the total amount for getting Rs 2,000 notes credited into bank accounts.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
