Rs 1 Lakh cheque is no longer 'high value'

(13/5/09 Indian rupee updates) - One lakh rupees is no longer considered 'high value' in banking parlance. Until recently, a cheque amounting to over a lakh was considered high value and would be swiftly cleared on the same day itself, if deposited before 11 am. Now that a lakh is no longer what it used to be, although it can still buy you a car, the Reserve Bank of India has raised the bar.

Also Read :
-BRIC countries stabilising world economy
-Highest paid CEO's of world
-America's Top 20 CEO's ever list
-How Infosys managed to increase YoY profit
-Effect of Recession on Indian Economy
-Economies hit by recession

As of May 2, a cheque will have to be above Rs 5 lakh, and after August 1, above Rs 10 lakh for it to qualify as 'high value'. From November 1, there will be no high value clearing. For same-day clearance, banks are advising their customers to fill in a special form and use RTGF (Real Time Gross Settlement) or NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer).

"The idea is to facilitate easier transactions by getting into electronic clearing," says a RBI spokesperson. "Earlier, we made the transfer of amounts over Rs 1 crore mandatory through electronic clearing. We are gradually moving towards all transactions being cleared electronically."