Puri: A financial literacy programme aimed at empowering rural communities was conducted in villages of Odisha’s Puri district on Tuesday, focusing on prudent money management, savings, budgeting and protection against digital frauds.
The on-ground sessions, held at Baliput and Sutana gram panchayat offices, formed part of a pan-India drive by Bajaj Finance Ltd to promote financial inclusion in underbanked hinterland regions under its initiative, Arthsutra Samvad. It aligns with the Reserve Bank of India’s efforts to spread financial awareness and encourages informed decision-making among citizens.
Cybersecurity and fraud prevention formed a central focus of the workshops, addressing a growing concern in newly digitised rural areas. Participants were cautioned against cyber frauds, fake investment schemes, suspicious links, malicious APK files, WhatsApp scams and digital arrest tactics.
IIC of Puri Cyber & Economic Offence police station Gitanjali Nayak along with SarpanchPramod Kumar Pradhan and Headmistress Anukampa Kanungo of Baliput Panchayat High School, participated in the workshop at Baliput gram panchayat office. Nayak spoke on modern cyber fraud methods, stressing the importance of the “golden hour”, the first two hours after an incident, and urged victims to immediately report cybercrimes to the national helpline at 1930. She also advised careful smartphone use to avoid emerging threats.
A parallel session at Sutana gram panchayat office saw Sarpanch Menaka Behera, Headmaster Surendranath Padhi of Sutana High School and Community Health Officer Sagarika Das in attendance. Behera emphasised that timely credit repayments build a strong financial reputation that opens doors to future economic opportunities. She expressed appreciation for awareness programmes that empower rural communities.