By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 24: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shillong, organised the inaugural event of the Financial Literacy Week (FLW) 2025 at Hotel Vivanta, Shillong, on Monday.
This year, the FLW is being celebrated from February 24 to 28 under the theme, “Financial Literacy: Women’s Prosperity”, which underscores the critical role of financial empowerment in enabling women to achieve economic independence and prosperity.
The inaugural event was graced by Meghalaya DGP Idashisha Nongrang as the chief guest along with Additional Secretary, Finance department, Ramakrishna Chitturi. The event was also attended by DGM of NABARD, MD of Meghalaya Cooperative Bank, AGM of State Bank of India, and senior officials from various banks operating in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, General Manager and Officer in-Charge, RBI Shillong, Olden Nongpluh, emphasised that financial literacy is not just about managing money, it is about empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. This year, RBI is particularly focused on women, as their financial empowerment has a ripple effect on families, communities, and the economy at large.
DGP Idashisha Nongrang, in her keynote address, appreciated the efforts of RBI in furthering financial literacy in the state. She emphasised the importance of imparting financial literacy among the women as empowering them would result in empowering an entire generation. She also encouraged banks to improve the implementation of various schemes and scale up the financial awareness among the rural households.
Additional Secretary Ramakrishna Chitturi, in his address, highlighted the importance of providing a whole bouquet of financial services including basic insurance, pension products in addition of having a basic savings account. He highlighted the importance of Self Help Groups in empowering the women through a community based mechanism of lending. He also urged upon the banks to strengthen the BC network and undertake necessary measures to reach out to the rural population in the distant areas.
In a bid to make financial literacy more engaging and accessible to the younger generation, the RBI Shillong organised various competitions including poster making competition and reels/short videos making competition for students. The event was organised as a precursor to Financial Literacy Week 2025 and the winners of the event were also felicitated during the event.
It may be mentioned that RBI Shillong, in collaboration with local banks and stakeholders, will organise a series of awareness programmes and outreach activities across all the blocks of the state. These initiatives are designed to equip women with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed financial decisions, plan for their futures, and safeguard their financial well-being.