NEW DELHI, July 9: The Union Ministry of Finance has informed the Delhi High Court that it currently has no plans to introduce a ₹50 coin, despite a legal plea urging for its issuance to address accessibility issues faced by visually impaired citizens.

The Centre’s response came in the wake of a petition filed by advocates Rohit Dandriyal and Mini Agrawal, which sought the introduction of a ₹50 coin as an alternative to the currency note. The petition highlighted the difficulties faced by visually impaired individuals in distinguishing the ₹50 note from higher denomination notes such as ₹100 and ₹500, due to the lack of tactile features.

In an affidavit submitted to the court, the Ministry stated that “at present, no proposal regarding the introduction of a ₹50 coin is under consideration.” It noted that the decision to mint new denomination coins depends on multiple factors, including public usage patterns and acceptance.

The affidavit referred to a 2022 survey by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which found that people preferred currency notes over coins in the ₹10 and ₹20 denominations, primarily due to the coins’ weight and similarity in size across denominations, making them less convenient for daily use. These findings, the Ministry said, were also relevant in evaluating the need for a ₹50 coin.

Responding to the accessibility concerns, the Finance Ministry said that high-denomination notes such as ₹100, ₹200, ₹500, and ₹2000 carry angular bleed lines and raised (intaglio) printing to aid visually impaired users. However, the ₹50 note, like those of ₹10 and ₹20, lacks such tactile markings in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series.

The Ministry acknowledged this gap but stated that reintroducing intaglio printing for lower denomination notes was not feasible. “Due to high circulation and frequent handling, the tactile effect wears off faster, making such features ineffective over time,” the affidavit noted. It also pointed out that such a move would significantly impact the cost and efficiency of currency production.

As an alternative measure, the Ministry highlighted the launch of the MANI (Mobile Aided Note Identifier) app in 2020, designed to help visually impaired individuals identify currency denominations using their smartphones. According to the Ministry, the app has already been downloaded by approximately 15 lakh users.

While the petitioners contended that the lack of both tactile features and a ₹50 coin deprives visually impaired citizens of equitable access to currency identification, the Centre has urged the Delhi High Court to dismiss the plea.