Out to block avenues for printing Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs), the Home Ministry has turned down a Finance Ministry proposal to purchase currency paper machines from Germany, pointing out that the company, Voith Paper, has been supplying identical machines to Pakistan.

Top Home Ministry officials said though the tender for the supply of currency paper machines had been floated months ago and the German company selected after a lengthy evaluation process, the Home Ministry came into the picture when it was approached for security clearances.

“The manufacturers said they will make some modifications for the machines they supply to Pakistan so that the currency paper is not identical. But we decided to be cautious in view of the serious problem of distribution of FICNs. The Finance Ministry, at a high level, has agreed with the Home Ministry’s view,” the official said.

Finance Ministry officials said the need for new machines at mills which supply paper to the Dewas and Nashik currency printing presses had been felt for long. They said they were examining the Home Ministry view and procurement of machines from Voith Paper.

Officials said the deal involved purchase of three new paper machines, each worth approximately Rs 80 lakh.