RBI may stop cash airlift to Ch’garh if Centre lifts Red tag

Nagpur: If the govt officially declares the country free of Maoists by March 31, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may discontinue the costly practice of transporting currency notes by helicopter to remote areas of Chhattisgarh, which are a vital portion of the Red Corridor.Stopping the practice, which is in vogue for over a decade, would however, need the Union govt's notification to lift the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) tag for the insurgency-ridden pockets. The RBI may take cognizance after the govt order.Security concerns had led to the RBI taking up this mode of transport to avoid guerrilla ambush if the cash is transported by road. Although expensive, airlifting currency was regarded as the safest option available. Union home minister Amit Shah has set March 31, 2026, as the deadline to eliminate Maoists from the country. As a Central bank, currency management is one of the RBI's mandates. Currency notes are flown from time to time depending on the need. This includes payment for various govt schemes, paddy procurement, and other varied needs.If conditions in the state stabilise, the practice could be discontinued in areas declared free of LWE. Currently, parts of Bastar remain classified as LWE-affected.Officials also noted the logistical challenges involved in helicopter operations, including arranging landing sites in remote areas before cash can be transported further inland. Road transport, often involving long journeys from Nagpur through dense forests, has been considered too risky, which led to reliance on helicopters.Even if the LWE tag is lifted, authorities would still need to conduct a comprehensive security assessment before deciding to end the airlifting of currency, a source added.