Mumbai, Aug. 24 (PTI): The Reserve Bank of India will launch the country’s first 200-rupee banknotes on Friday, with a base colour of bright yellow.

For the visually impaired, the front of the note will have intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait, Ashoka Pillar emblem, raised identification mark 'H' with micro-text Rs 200, four angular bleed lines with two circles in between the lines both on the right and left sides.

The 200-rupee notes are expected to bring relief to a system starved of cash after the government junked 1000- and 500-rupee notes last November.

“The Reserve Bank of India will issue on August 25, 2017 Rs 200 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (new) Series, bearing signature of Urjit R Patel, Governor, Reserve Bank of India from select RBI offices, and some banks,” RBI said in a press release.

In line with the new policy on theme-based currency notes, this currency note bears the motif of the Sanchi Stupa.

After the November 8 demonetisation sucked out 86 per cent of the currency, the RBI had introduced 2000-rupee notes, also the first, and followed up with 500-rupee notes.

With the 1000-rupee notes yet to be replaced, there is pressure on small denominations such as 100- and 50-rupee.

The 200-rupee notes are expected to meet the demand for change.

The RBI has also introduced a new fluorescent blue 50-rupee note bearing the motif of 'Hampi with Chariot'.

The 200-rupee note will have a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre and the denominational numeral “200” with rupee symbol in colour changing ink—green to blue—on the bottom right on the obverse (front) side of the note, the RBI said.

The reverse side will carry a Swachh Bharat logo with slogan and the Sanchi Stupa motif, RBI said.

The new note will be in a dimension of 66mmX146mm.