NEW DELHI: The government is considering whether to stop the exchange of old notes for new ones, said sources to NDTV today.

Yesterday, the limit on a one-time swap of the old bills for new ones was lowered from Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 2,000.

But, sources said, the government is concerned about the misuse of this offer and feel it is "clogging the banking system".

A series of reports have shown the same people trading in old Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes, depriving others of their entitlement.

After the ban on Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes, the government said that the bills must be deposited in banks by the end of the year. It announced that individuals could, for now, exchange up to Rs. 4,000 worth of old notes for the new Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 notes.

That limit was raised to Rs. 4,500 earlier this week and then brought down to Rs. 2,000.