Do you hate corruption, but don’t know how to fight the crime? An Indian NGO introduced Zero rupee notes as a weapon to eradicate corruption.
Most of us cannot deny the presence of corruption in many forms in our country, particularly when it comes to bribery.
So, instead of giving your hard-earned money to people who take bribes, wouldn’t it be nice to have a rupee note designed particularly to tease corrupt officials?
When we think of currency notes, the first thing that comes to mind is to buy something with it, right?
These are the regularly used currency notes that we are all familiar with, ranging from modest denominations such as 10, 20, 50, or 100 to higher denominations such as 500 and 2000.
But have you ever seen, or even considered, a zero rupee note? Yes, you read that correctly.
In truth, some Indians have known these zero rupee notes for almost a decade! However, unlike other notes, which are printed by the RBI, zero rupee notes are unique.
You can’t buy anything with these notes because they have any amount inscribed on them. However, you can surely use the zero rupee notes for a more important purpose.
The flipside of the paper contains contact information for the authorities, and the purpose of the note is to discourage bribery in any manner. As a result, if an official requests a bribe, citizens are urged to ‘pay’ with these zero rupee notes.
These notes were introduced 14 years ago by an NGO in order to combat and eventually eliminate corruption. The zero rupee notes were introduced in 2007 by the NGO Fifth Pillar.
This Tamil Nadu-based NGO has printed millions of these notes in various Indian languages. Its volunteers distribute these notes in public places such as train stations, bus stops, and markets to raise awareness about bribery and to share their primary purpose of eradicating corruption. There’s even a witty note hidden within the letter that states, “If someone demands a bribe, offer this note and report the case.”
