Subject category:
Economics, Politics and Business Environment
Published by:
IBS Center for Management Research
Length: 21 pages
Data source: Published sources
Abstract
The case discusses India's demonetization in 2016 which resulted in the scrapping of high value currency notes of INR500 and INR1,000. This was the third time in the history of India that the government had junked notes of high denomination to attack black money. The primary objectives of the 2016 demonetization were to curb the circulation of counterfeit notes in the economy along with removing black money, corruption, and stopping funding of activities of terrorism. Though the move was intended to curb illicit activities, it ended up causing chaos among the common people of the country and suffering to small businesses and traders due to the cash crunch. There were serpentine queues of people outside banks and ATMs to exchange the junked notes and withdraw new currency of INR500 and INR2,000. Some analysts believed that the 2016 demonetization would yield positive results in the long term; however, others considered it a temporary solution, and not a solution to counter the generation of black money. Many were skeptical about the success of demonetization as it led to tarnishing the reputation of the country's apex bank, the Reserve Bank of India, and all other banks along with slowing down economic activities. The result of this demonetization was a small fraction of black money coming back into the formal channels of the banking system and increased tax revenues for the government. There were loopholes in the implementation of the demonetization program which were expected to lead to the Indian government, the common people, and the industry facing challenges in the coming years. It was to be seen how the move would impact the economy in the long run.
Location:
Other setting(s):
2016-2017
About
Abstract
The case discusses India's demonetization in 2016 which resulted in the scrapping of high value currency notes of INR500 and INR1,000. This was the third time in the history of India that the government had junked notes of high denomination to attack black money. The primary objectives of the 2016 demonetization were to curb the circulation of counterfeit notes in the economy along with removing black money, corruption, and stopping funding of activities of terrorism. Though the move was intended to curb illicit activities, it ended up causing chaos among the common people of the country and suffering to small businesses and traders due to the cash crunch. There were serpentine queues of people outside banks and ATMs to exchange the junked notes and withdraw new currency of INR500 and INR2,000. Some analysts believed that the 2016 demonetization would yield positive results in the long term; however, others considered it a temporary solution, and not a solution to counter the generation of black money. Many were skeptical about the success of demonetization as it led to tarnishing the reputation of the country's apex bank, the Reserve Bank of India, and all other banks along with slowing down economic activities. The result of this demonetization was a small fraction of black money coming back into the formal channels of the banking system and increased tax revenues for the government. There were loopholes in the implementation of the demonetization program which were expected to lead to the Indian government, the common people, and the industry facing challenges in the coming years. It was to be seen how the move would impact the economy in the long run.
Settings
Location:
Other setting(s):
2016-2017