New Delhi : Field trials of Rs 10 polymer notes  will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India in five cities, according to Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Finance.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, the minister said  field trials will be in Shimla, Kochi, Mysore, Bhuvaneshwar and Jaipur. This was in view of  varied geographical locations and climatic conditions, he said.

Compared to the paper currencies, polymer notes have a relatively longer life. Polymer notes were first introduced in Australia to tackle counterfeit currency.

Besides Australia, other countries which have introduced plastic notes include New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Bermuda, Brunei and Vietnam.