RBI's Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme Incentives
No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2022-23/90 · issued 01 Apr 2022 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI's CDES framework offers financial incentives to banks for better currency management and customer service. Banks get reimbursements for setting up currency chests in underbanked areas, exchanging soiled notes, and distributing coins, with higher incentives for rural/semi-urban coin distribution.
What changed
This Master Direction consolidates and updates previous circulars on the Currency Distribution and Exchange Scheme (CDES). It formalizes the incentive framework for bank branches and currency chests based on performance in customer service related to clean note policy. The key change is the codification of existing guidelines into a single master direction.
What it means for you
Banks can now claim financial incentives for currency chests in underbanked areas, soiled note exchange, and coin distribution without separate claims. This encourages better customer service and infrastructure in underserved regions. Banks must ensure proper documentation and pass on incentives to linked branches.
Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.
What banks were required to do at the time
Set up currency chests in centres with population under 1 lakh in underbanked states to claim capital and revenue cost reimbursements.
Ensure soiled note exchange and mutilated note adjudication are done over the counter to claim ₹2 per packet/piece.
Distribute coins and claim ₹65 per bag, plus ₹10 extra for rural/semi-urban areas with concurrent auditor certificate.
Pass on incentives to linked branches/chests on a pro-rata basis for soiled notes and coins.
Maintain records for RBI verification through inspections or incognito visits.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks, Currency chest branches, Bank branches in rural and semi-urban areas, Banks operating in underbanked states and North Eastern region
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 06:34 IST
Status change: withdrawn03 Aug 2026, 04:00 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
Do we need to submit separate claims for incentives?
No, incentives are paid automatically based on net withdrawal from currency chest for coins and receipt of soiled notes in RBI Issue Office. No separate claim is needed.
What is the incentive for setting up a currency chest in the North Eastern region?
Capital expenditure is reimbursed up to 100% subject to a ceiling of ₹50 lakh per chest. Revenue expenditure is reimbursed at 50% for the first 5 years.
How is coin distribution incentive calculated for rural areas?
You get ₹65 per bag for coin distribution, plus an additional ₹10 per bag for rural and semi-urban areas, provided a Concurrent Auditor certificate is submitted.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2022-23/90 · issued 01 Apr 2022. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12269&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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