Express News Service
NEW DELHI: A host of new security features are expected to be added when the RBI goes about printing fresh banknotes.
For example, instead of one, four different types of security threads (24,70,000 km in length) for the Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes will be introduced whenever new suppliers are awarded contracts.
The other security features – colour-shifting ink for high and middle denomination notes (24,000 kg and 4,600 kg), foil patch (8,000 million pieces), three types of security fibres (47,000 kg), micro-perforations (one-time technology transfer), paper and ink-based taggants (25,130 kg, microscopic physical and chemical markers) will also be “reinforced” to make the currency notes counterfeit-proof.
Some of the foreign companies who have sent in their bids for the security thread feature are Optaglio Ltd (Czech Republic), Fedrigoni SpA (Italy), Papierfabrik Louisenthal GmBH (Germany), Hueck Foilen GmbH (Austria) and Crane & Co Inc (United States). GleitsMann Security Inks (Germany) and SICPA SA (Switzerland) are among the foreign companies that have bid for the color-shifting ink feature.
Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co KG (Germany), Honeywell International Inc, De La Rue, Bundes Druckerei, Komsco (South Korea), Landqart AG, Oberthar Fiduciaire SAS, Goznak, Keit Ltd (Bulgaria), Stardust Materials LLC (US) and Woollard & Henry Ltd (UK) are the other foreign companies who have taken part in the Global Prequalification Tender.
The bids were opened on September 1, 2017. But physical inspections of the foreign suppliers could not happen due to various reasons.