2016-04-09 Sat

As per official reports, Indian currency notes might soon feature Maithili script. The Prime minister’s Office has also asked the currency division of RBI to start considering the inclusion of other four languages on currency notes, namely, Manipuri, Santhali, Dogri and Bodo.

Mentioning all official languages on currency is mandatory as per RBI norms. Only 17 out of the 22 languages officially constituted in India have been featured on Indian currency notes since Maithili, Santhali, Dogri and Bodo were included in the Eighth Schedule on January 8, 2004. Of the three languages included in Eighth Schedule in 1992 - Manipuri, Konkani and Nepali - only two languages were featured on banknotes.

The PMO took the decision to include Maithili and other languages on the currency notes following repeated requests by Subhash Choudhary, a Maithili expert, to the Union finance minister and RBI governor. A request has also been made to depict Maithili in its own script "Tirhuta" which will reflect the cultural excellence and plurality of the nation.