Training conductors to recognise fakes, installing detectors in each depot and refusing notes above Rs 100, where most fakes occur
Training conductors to recognise fakes, installing detectors in each depot and refusing notes above Rs 100, where most fakes occur
Conductors in BEST buses have been told to refuse currency notes from passengers above the denomination of
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Rs 100 after revelations that they lose part of their revenue (of approximately Rs 2.5 crore per day), to counterfeit money.
In 2008, BEST received counterfeit currency amounting to Rs 51,870, up by Rs 41,000 from 2006. Ravi Raja, BEST committee member, said, "This is a serious issue, but itu00a0 is not possible to provide a counterfeit currency detecting machine to each conductor.
As a preliminary step, all our conductors have been alerted. We have asked them to check the notes whenever possible, once they are trained."
A fake currency detector costs anywhere between Rs 1,500 and Rs 4,000.
According to a BEST official, most passengers are unaware that the notes are fakes. Earlier, fake currencies were generally in denominations of Rs 1,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100, but are now alarmingly received in denominations of Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 50.
"Most of the buses are so crowded that conductors are unable to check the notes properly," adds Pravin Chheda, chairman, BEST. But he is not worried. "Every day we earn in crores and this loss is actually peanuts. However, we have told our conductors to be careful while taking money."
Your guide to detecting fake currency
Check the watermark, micro-lettering, identification marks, floral designs. For more on fake currency notes, log on to www.rbi.org.in
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