FLO Kolkata, under the leadership of Chairperson Usha Jaiswal, conducted a “PMJDY, Financial Inclusion & Banking Awareness Session,” in association with Bandhan Bank at Apni Kutir, Chetla, engaging 38 participants in an interactive programme focused on financial literacy, formal banking access and awareness of financial inclusion mechanisms. The session was designed around a fundamental aspect of financial empowerment: awareness must be accompanied by accessibility.
For community participants who may be unfamiliar with formal banking procedures, gaps in information, documentation, or procedural navigation can become barriers to accessing available financial services. The programme therefore combined financial education with practical guidance and assisted access. A key focus was Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). Participants were introduced to the scheme, its benefits and eligibility, while the Bandhan Bank team explained the process of opening a zero-balance bank account and the documentation required.
The discussion provided participants with greater clarity on how to approach formal banking and what is required to initiate the process. The programme also addressed RuPay card activation, ensuring that participants understood the practical steps associated with using the banking facilities available to them. Alongside conventional banking, the session introduced participants to UPI and digital banking, reflecting the increasing importance of digital financial access in everyday transactions.
Financial safety formed another important pillar of the engagement. Participants were sensitised to financial fraud and responsible digital practices, helping them understand that greater access to digital financial services must be accompanied by greater vigilance and awareness.
The session adopted a strongly interactive approach, with participants actively engaging with the banking team and raising questions to clarify their individual concerns. Most importantly, the intervention extended beyond awareness into handholding.
The Bandhan Bank team offered support to participants who required assistance with opening and activating bank accounts. This practical facilitation helped minimise the gap between financial awareness and actual access by supporting participants through the procedural stages involved in entering the formal banking system. Viewed through the Policy Advocacy lens, the programme strengthened awareness and accessibility around formal financial inclusion mechanisms.
Through its Financial Literacy dimension, it built the knowledge and confidence required to use banking and digital financial services responsibly. The session thus created a meaningful continuum of awareness → procedural understanding → assisted access → responsible financial participation, reinforcing FLO Kolkata’s commitment to making financial inclusion more accessible and actionable at the community level.