The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is organizing financial literacy and awareness programme (FLAP) to create awareness among the financially excluded people in rural areas.
The programme is being launched from today that is from July 12, marking the foundation day of the NABARD in 27 districts of Odisha. NABARD was established on July 12, 1982 with a view to promote integrated rural development.
The programme would be part of the NDA government’s agenda for maximum financial inclusion under the Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana (PMHDY), sources said.
The FLAP aims to create awareness on various schemes like Prime Minister Suraskha Bima Yojana, Prime Minister Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana. During the programme, people in rural areas would be taught on savings, credit, remittance, insurance and pension.
Under the FLAP, special emphasis would be given on Atal Pension Yojana (a pension scheme) that guarantees a fixed monthly pension after turning 60 years.
“We are going to conduct the awareness in collaboration with NGOs. All commercial banks and regional rural banks (RRBs) would participate in the awareness programmes. Besides awareness, enrolments will also be done under the schemes like PMJDY”, said S K Kale, chief general manager (Odisha), NABARD.
The three districts- Sonepur, Jharsuguda and Boudh left out of the awareness drive would be covered subsequently, he said.
According to sources, NABARD would promote financial literacy in the rural areas through different interventions in the form of publicity materials, wall paintings and folk lore, he said.
A tele-film ‘Sambhab’ of one hour duration on financial literacy has also been produced by the bank to take forward the programme.
Aiming to provide free financial education and credit counseling, the NABARD plans to open financial literacy centres (FLCs) in all districts through cooperative banks.
So far, over 105 FLCs have been sanctioned to 15 district central cooperative banks.