Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Finance addressed questions regarding digital financial literacy programs, particularly concerning financial inclusion in remote tribal districts under the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) framework. The response highlights the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and other initiatives to enhance financial inclusion and digital financial literacy across the country, including Odisha. The document details various measures undertaken, such as Financial Literacy Centers (FLCs), awareness campaigns, and the RBI's Centre for Financial Literacy (CFL) project.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY):**
* Extended beyond 14.08.2018, shifting focus from every household to every unbanked adult.
* 55.98 crore Jan Dhan accounts opened with a deposit balance of Rs. 2,61,982 crores as of 25.07.2025.
* JAM framework supports DBT flows, social security pension schemes, credit flows, and digital payments.
* **Financial Literacy Initiatives in Odisha:**
* FLCs actively impart financial literacy through campaigns like "Going Digital" and Target Group Specific campaigns.
* Rural bank branches conduct financial literacy camps focusing on digital payments, responsible borrowing, and cyber safety.
* Target groups include farmers, small entrepreneurs, school students, SHGs, and senior citizens.
* **National Financial Literacy Measures:**
* RBI initiated the Centre for Financial Literacy (CFL) Project in 2017, with 2,421 CFLs set up across the country as of March 31, 2025.
* Banks advised to conduct "Going Digital" camps through FLCs, tailored for different target groups.
* Rural branches required to conduct monthly camps covering Financial Awareness Messages (FAME).
* Financial Literacy Week (FLW) conducted annually since 2016.
* RBI's "RBI Kehta Hai" campaign promotes financial literacy and safe banking practices.
Impact Analysis
* **Unbanked Adults:**
* *Impact:* Increased access to banking services and financial inclusion through PMJDY and related initiatives.
* *Action Required:* Open Jan Dhan accounts and participate in financial literacy programs.
* **Residents of Remote Tribal Districts:**
* *Impact:* Improved financial literacy and access to financial services through targeted interventions by FLCs and rural bank branches.
* *Action Required:* Attend financial literacy camps and utilize available banking services.
* **Farmers, Small Entrepreneurs, School Students, SHGs, and Senior Citizens:**
* *Impact:* Enhanced financial knowledge and skills through targeted financial literacy campaigns and camps.
* *Action Required:* Participate in relevant financial literacy programs and adopt responsible financial practices.
* **Banks (including Rural Branches):**
* *Impact:* Requirement to conduct financial literacy camps and promote digital financial literacy among customers.
* *Action Required:* Organize and conduct "Going Digital" camps, monthly FAME camps, and participate in FLW.
* **Reserve Bank of India (RBI):**
* *Impact:* Leading the CFL project and conducting public awareness campaigns to promote financial literacy.
* *Action Required:* Continue to expand the CFL project and disseminate financial literacy messages through various mediums.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY): National Mission for Financial Inclusion initiated in August 2014 to provide universal banking services.
Jan DhanAadhaarMobile (JAM) framework: Framework providing the backbone for easing DBT flows, adoption of social security pension schemes, facilitating credit flows, promoting digital payments, etc.
Odisha: A state in India targeted under nationwide digital financial awareness drives.
Balangir, Odisha: A tribal-dominated and migration-prone district in Odisha.
Financial Literacy Centres (FLCs): Centers actively imparting financial literacy through campaigns.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI): The central bank of India, which initiated the Centre for Financial Literacy (CFL) Project.
Centre for Financial Literacy (CFL) Project: Project initiated by RBI to adopt community-led innovative and participatory approaches to financial literacy.
Financial Literacy Week (FLW): An annual event conducted since 2016 to propagate financial education.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3546
ANSWERED ON MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2025/20 SRAVANA, 1947 (SAKA)
DIGITAL FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMMES
3546. SMT. SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has undertaken any evaluation of financial inclusion outcomes in
remote tribal districts under the Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile (JAM) framework, particularly in
relation to last-mile banking access and grievance redressal in regions with low digital
infrastructure;
(b) whether Odisha has been targeted under any nationwide digital financial awareness drives and
if so, the steps taken to ensure that tribal-dominated and migration-prone districts like
Balangir receive focused interventions through Financial Literacy Centres, school-based
awareness modules, or SHG-level campaigns;
(c) whether the Government has reviewed the effectiveness of digital financial literacy
programmes in digitally inept regions, especially in terms of women’s access; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (d). The Government initiated the National Mission for Financial Inclusion (NMFI), namely,
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) in August, 2014 to provide universal banking services
for every unbanked household. In order to give impetus to financial inclusion initiatives of the
Government, PMJDY was extended beyond 14.08.2018 with the focus on opening of accounts
shifting from “every household” to “every unbanked adult”.
PMJDY has been successful in increasing banking penetration to promote financial inclusion across
the country. A total of 55.98 crore Jan-Dhan accounts with a deposit balance of Rs. 2,61,982 crores
have been opened as on 25.07.2025 under PMJDY. Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile (JAM) framework is
providing the necessary backbone for measures like easing DBT flows, adoption of social security/
pension Schemes, facilitating credit flows, promoting digital payments, etc. No such specific study
on JAM framework has been conducted in remote tribal districts of the country.
Financial Literacy Centers (FLCs) are actively imparting financial literacy through campaigns such
as "Going Digital" and “Target Group Specific” campaign, in Odisha. Further, financial literacy
camps are also being conducted by rural bank branches with focus on topics such as digital payments,
responsible borrowing, cyber safety etc. The focus group for these campaigns are farmers, small
entrepreneurs, school students, SHGs, senior citizens etc. Detail of camps conducted during the
quarter ending June 2025, in the state of Odisha is as under:Rural camps "Going 'Target Specific Financial Literacy Awareness
conducted by Digital" Camps'' by Programm (FLAP) by CFLs
rural camps by FLCs
branches FLCs
Balangir 330 10 30 951
Odisha 9,150 464 861 18,518
Source: SLBC, Odisha
In order to enhance financial literacy, including digital financial literacy, various awareness measures
and initiatives are being undertaken which, inter-alia, are as under:
i. The Centre for Financial Literacy (CFL) Project has been initiated by the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) since 2017 with an objective to adopt community-led innovative and participatory
approaches to financial literacy. A total of 2,421 CFLs have been set up across the country, as on
March 31, 2025, with one CFL covering three blocks on an average.
ii. Banks have been advised to conduct camps through their FLCs on "Going Digital" through UPI
and *99# (USSD) for general public and tailored camps for different target groups.
iii. Rural branches of banks are required to conduct one camp per month covering all the messages
that are part of the Financial Awareness Messages (FAME) booklet, which, inter alia, contains
messages on various facets of financial literacy including basic banking, digital financial literacy,
consumer protection etc.
iv. Financial Literacy Week (FLW) has been conducted every year since 2016 to propagate the
message of financial education on various themes among members of the public across the
country.
v. RBI’s multi-media, multilingual public awareness campaign, titled "RBI Kehta Hai" uses various
mediums to promote financial literacy and to educate the public on safe banking practices.
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