Nepal issues new NPR 100 banknote featuring updated map including disputed territories

In a public notice, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank of the Himalayan nation, stated that the newly introduced NPR 100 note was designed to include refined security and identification elements to enhance authenticity and usability.

In October last year, the NRB entrusted a Chinese company with printing the new banknotes.

The design of the NPR 100 denomination was approved by the Nepalese Cabinet during a meeting led by the former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in May 2024.

The contract for printing was awarded to China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation.

On May 20, 2020, Nepal issued a new map incorporating Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani through a constitutional amendment.

Under the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, the NRB is responsible for designing the notes, though any changes to the design or size of the notes require government approval.

The new note features Mount Everest on the left side and a watermark of the Rhododendron--the national flower of Nepal--on the right. The centre of the note includes illustrations of Nepal's map and the Ashoka Pillar, while the main design highlights a one-horned rhinoceros with its calf.

For visually impaired users, a tactile black dot has been added near the Ashoka Pillar to help identify the denomination by touch.

The note retains the colour and size of the previous version and includes a depiction of Maya Devi printed in silver metallic ink inside an oval on the left side.

The guarantee text, which assures the government's payment of NPR 100 to the bearer, remains printed on the note.

For security, the banknote contains a 2-millimetre special security thread that appears red when viewed straight and green when tilted.

The note carries the signature of the then-Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari and includes a series number marked "2081" in Nepali numerals at the bottom.

The NRB had commissioned the Chinese company to design, print, supply, and deliver 300 million 100-rupee notes. The total printing cost is estimated at approximately USD 8,996,592. At the current exchange rate, this amounts to over NPR 1.2 billion, making the cost of printing each 100-rupee note roughly NPR 4 and 4 paisa.

India's position on the Kalapani region, including Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, is that it is part of its territory. This claim is based on India's interpretation of the Sugauli Treaty of 1816, which defined the border with Nepal based on the Kali River. India maintains that the river originates at the Kalapani village, while Nepal argues it originates further north, at Limpiyadhura. This difference in interpretation leads to the disputed territory. (ANI)