Indian currency symbol established
The Indian rupee has joined the exclusive club of four global
currencies, by getting its own symbol on Thursday. However, this is
unlikely to change the way one deals with the currency or the way one
refers to it in speech, though it would bring in a change in the way it
is put in writing.
However, the high point of the move will come only when the Indian
rupee becomes a global currency through which import and export
transactions can be clinched. Only the US dollar, Great Britain pound ,
European euro and Japanese yen have their own symbols.
It could gain recognition globally in due course, reflecting the
growing stature of India among global economies." Whether to include the
new symbol in the new currency notes series to be released for public
consumption from now on, is a million-dollar question. There is talk in
the market that its inclusion in the notes format is unlikely to be made
mandatory. Responding to a query, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
spokesperson said, "The apex bank is examining various aspects and
implications of the new symbol for the rupee."
However, many of the central banks like that in the US and the UK
have decided against making it mandatory to mention the symbol in the
currency notes. But it may not be difficult for RBI to incorporate the
symbol in currency notes, if the Centre were to decide so.
RBI has a set procedure for approval of design for different currency
notes issued by it, including an approval by a Committee on Financial
History. But a communique to the effect from the Centre may be required
for incorporating the new symbol that has a combination of Hindi and
Roman scripts.
RBI may have to use this symbol liberally in volumes of literature
and analysis it produces annually
Financial Times
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