Soiled currency notes sully India's image: RBI official

According to a senior RBI official Friday, soiled, torn and faded currency notes were one of the worst ambassadors for the country, as far as tourists travelling to the country are concerned.

"Goa being a prominent tourist place, it needs to get rid of these old notes. These stale notes are bad for the image of the country when they reach tourists,” J.B. Bhoria, regional director of the RBI, told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

"Old notes are not only dirty-looking, they also carry germs and can spread disease. All banks should ensure that these notes should be replaced as soon as possible, especially in tourist areas," he said.

"There was a time when foreign tourists used to be given notes stuck together with (adhesive) tape. A nice new, clean, crisp note gives a very good image of the country,” Bhoria said.