The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Nagpur, has stepped up efforts to strengthen financial inclusion and banking awareness in Vidarbha through three major initiatives, with a significant focus on building the capacity of cooperative banks and their personnel.
The initiatives include the nationwide Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign, the PARAKH – Every Note Matters programme and the electronic Banking Awareness and Training (e-BAAT) programme.
Under the Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign, being conducted by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, in coordination with RBI and participating banks from October 21 to December 31, 2026, RBI’s Financial Inclusion and Development Department (FIDD), Nagpur, is coordinating implementation across Vidarbha.
The campaign aims to organise at least one camp in every Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Body, bringing essential banking services closer to citizens.
The camps facilitate Re-KYC, C-KYC, nomination updates, Aadhaar seeding and activation of inoperative Jan-Dhan accounts. Citizens can also access enrolment facilities under PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY and APY, along with assistance for Kisan Credit Card applications and information on crop insurance.
A major highlight is the PARAKH – Every Note Matters campaign, launched in January 2026, which directly benefits the cooperative banking sector. Over the past ten months, RBI Nagpur has trained more than 8,700 officials from 190 Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), 23 District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), two State Cooperative Banks, two Regional Rural Banks and five commercial banks.
The programme focuses on counterfeit currency detection, Note Refund Rules and practical exercises in assessing defective currency notes. RBI has also prepared a reference poster for display at bank counters to help officials follow the prescribed rules.
Meanwhile, the e-BAAT programme is promoting safe digital banking practices, including UPI, NEFT, RTGS, AEPS, internet and mobile banking. It also covers emerging cyber threats such as SIM cloning, juice jacking and digital arrest, besides educating participants about deposit insurance, social security schemes, RBI Retail Direct, Central Bank Digital Currency and the UDGAM portal.
During 2026–27, RBI Nagpur has conducted 18 such programmes across 13 districts of Vidarbha and Marathwada, reaching 6,210 participants, including members of credit societies, self-help groups, ASHA workers, CISF personnel and bank customers.
Together, these initiatives underline RBI’s efforts to strengthen grassroots financial inclusion while improving the operational preparedness of cooperative banking institutions and promoting safer banking practices among citizens.
