Nepal to print new banknotes featuring disputed territories within a year: Report

Kathmandu: Nepal's central bank is preparing to print new banknotes featuring the revised map that includes disputed territories with India within a year, a media report said on Tuesday.

Nepal Rashtra Bank has already forwarded the process of printing the banknotes with the new map, which includes Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, the bank's joint spokesperson Dilliram Pokharel was quoted as saying by online news portal Nepalkhabar.com.

The bank has already forwarded the process of printing the new notes, Pokharel said, adding that it would be completed in six months to one year.

However, when sought his response to the news report, the bank's spokesperson was not available for comments.

Nepal's cabinet led by then-Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on May 3 decided to print new banknotes with the inclusion of the new map showing these territories as part of Nepal.

The Nepal government unveiled its new political map with the inclusion of Lipulek, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas within its territory in May 2020 during the government led by K P Sharma Oli. It was endorsed by Nepal's Parliament.  After that, the government replaced the old map used in all the official documents with the new map despite objections from India.

India maintains Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura belong to it.

Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.