Kathmandu [Nepal], November 27 (ANI): Nepal on Thursday released its new NPR 100 banknote, featuring an updated map that includes the Indian territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani. The note entered circulation immediately.
In a public notice, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) stated that the new NPR 100 note incorporates “refined security and identification elements to enhance authenticity and usability.” The design was approved by the Nepalese Cabinet in May 2024 under former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The printing contract was awarded to China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, which had been entrusted with the task in October last year.
Nepal had first issued a revised map incorporating Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani through a constitutional amendment on May 20, 2020. India has consistently rejected Nepal’s claim, describing it as a “unilateral act” not based on historical facts and contrary to bilateral agreements to resolve boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has urged Nepal to respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and create a positive atmosphere for diplomatic resolution.
Earlier this year, India also rejected Nepal’s objection to the resumption of India-China border trade via the Lipulekh Pass, reaffirming that historical trade through the pass had been ongoing since 1954 and that territorial claims by Nepal were unjustified.
The new banknote features Mount Everest on the left, a watermark of Nepal’s national flower—the Rhododendron—on the right, and illustrations of Nepal’s map and the Ashoka Pillar at the centre. The main design highlights a one-horned rhinoceros with its calf. For visually impaired users, a tactile black dot near the Ashoka Pillar indicates the denomination by touch.
The note retains the colour and size of its predecessor and includes a depiction of Maya Devi printed in silver metallic ink inside an oval on the left. It carries the signature of then-Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari and bears the series number “2081” in Nepali numerals.
NRB commissioned the Chinese company to design, print, supply, and deliver 300 million 100-rupee notes at a total estimated cost of USD 8,996,592 (over NPR 1.2 billion), making the cost of each note roughly NPR 4.04. (ANI)
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