Damaged currency notes replaced

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Around 400,000 - 500,000 mutilated or damaged currency notes have been handed over by people to State and mercantile banks, according to a spokesman for the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). The mutilated and damaged currency notes were replaced with new notes following an announcement by the CBSL last month.

The CBSL expects over 100,000 damaged notes to be handed over by people to their banks within the next two months.

CBSL Senior Assistant Superintendent of Currency, Sarath Wijesinghe told the Sunday Observer that any Sri Lankan or foreigner who has damaged or mutilated Sri Lankan currency notes could have them replaced with new notes from any State or mercantile bank.

He said no bank in the state or mercantile sector could turn down requests by the public to replace damaged currency notes.

Most Sri Lankan currency notes in the denomination of Rs. 10, Rs. 20 and Rs. 50 which were printed several decades ago will be replaced with new notes. Wijesinghe said when there is massive development in the tourism sector, foreigners too would like to have new currency notes.