Shirish Chandra Murmu, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), emphasized the continued importance of cash as a payment method in the Indian economy. He pointed out that maintaining trust in cash—through initiatives like ensuring clean notes, secure logistics, and a reliable currency ecosystem—is vital for safeguarding monetary sovereignty. He addressed the "cash paradox," where the circulation of currency is increasing at double-digit rates, while its role in individual transactions is diminishing due to the rise of digital payments. This evolving landscape poses challenges for predicting future cash demand, complicating planning for production and distribution. Additionally, Murmu mentioned efforts to enhance note durability by exploring surface coatings and introducing polymer notes for lower denominations. The central bank is also focused on minimizing the carbon footprint associated with the cash cycle.