FINANCEOUTLOOKINDIA8 JUNE, 2026JUNE, 2026REPORTRBI REVIVES PLASTIC CURRENCY NOTE PLAN AMID RISING CASH DEMANDHDFC CAPITAL AND JAPAN'S DBJ PARTNER FOR $1 BILLION INDIA HOUSING FUNDBHARAT KE SUPER FOUNDERS SEASON 2 APPLICATIONS GO LIVEBANK FRAUD VALUE HITS RS 48,021 CRORE DESPITE 57% DECLINE IN CASESThe Reserve Bank of India is reviving its long-pending plan to introduce polymer or plastic currency notes in India as demand for physical cash continues to surge despite rapid digital payment adoption. Discussions around polymer banknotes were held during the central bank's recent board meetings in Patna and Mumbai,according to reports.The RBI is considering polymer-based banknotes primarily due to their longer shelf life, lower replacement frequency and potential reduction in overall currency printing costs. A pilot rollout of plastic banknotes for public circulation is expected to be announced soon.Industry experts say polymer notes are significantly more durable than traditional paper currency and can withstand heavy circulation, especially in lower denominations that are more prone to wear and tear. Japan's Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) has partnered with HDFC Capital to invest in a major real estate fund focused on affordable and mid-income housing projects across India, marking DBJ's first-ever real estate investment in the country. After a debut season on Amazon MX player that drew over Rs 130 crore in funding commitments for the featured startups, Bharat Ke Super Founders (BKSF) has opened applications for Season 2. Emerging entrepreneurs from all over India can register now at bharatkesuperfounders.com.BKSF is co-created by Recur Club, India's largest debt platform for startups and SMEs, which has funded over Rs3,000 crore across more than 2,000 startups, and Rusk Media, the digital-first studio behind 20+ IPs including Battleground and IPop Star. Most startup shows run on drama and TRPs. BKSF set out to do something different, staying focused on what founders actually need: funding, mentorship, and visibility. The number of bank fraud cases reported in India has been reduced significantly, but value of bank frauds reported has shown a significant increase as per the Annual Report 2025-26 published by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The latest data revealed that the fraud scenario has seen significant changes in the last three years, with high value loan/advances frauds seeing a rise to a three-year high of Rs 48,021 crore.Bank frauds grew by 46.4% year-on-year from Rs 32,803 crore in FY25 to over four times in FY24 (Rs 11,013 crore). In parallel, the number of fraud cases has significantly decreased by 57.4% from 23,722 cases in FY25 to 10,114 cases in FY26.The overall number of fraud cases has decreased by almost 72% over a two-year period compared to FY24 when 35,800 incidents were recorded. But the rise in the monetary value of frauds indicates that banks are facing fewer, but more serious frauds. In an official statement, HDFC Capital said DBJ has committed capital to the HDFC Capital Development of Real Estate Affordable and Mid-Income Fund (H-DREAM Fund), which is managed by HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd. While the exact investment amount was not disclosed, the partnership signals growing global investor confidence in India's residential real estate sector.The H-DREAM Fund has a target corpus of $500 million along with a greenshoe option of another $500 million, taking the total potential fund size to $1 billion. According to HDFC Capital, current investor commitments have already crossed $350 million.The fund is focused on financing green, affordable and mid-income housing developments, a segment witnessing strong demand amid India's rapid urbanisation and rising housing requirements.
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