 Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, July 10: Reinforcing its commitment as the Convener of the Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory Level Bankers' Committee (UTLBC), J&K Bank today organised a Mega Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign - 2026 at the Auditorium Hall of Government College of Education, Srinagar, in collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India under the theme "Together Towards Financial Empowerment."
The programme was attended by Chief General Manager - in charge, FIDD, Reserve Bank of India, Nisha Nambiar, Regional Director, RBI (Jammu), Chandrashekhar Azad, ADDC Srinagar, Rifat Aftab Qureshi, Bank's Chief General Manager Imtiyaz Ahmed Bhat, General Manager (UTLBC/FID) Khursheed Muzaffar, Nodal Principal Colleges, Kashmir Division, Dr. Seema Naaz, Joint Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Nuzhat Qureshi, besides senior officers from various government departments including DIC, NRLM, SMC, Handloom, Handicrafts and Employment, member banks, Banking Correspondents, students and members of the public.
Addressing the gathering, Chief General Manager (RBI) Nisha Nambiar said, "The objective of such outreach programmes is to nurture enlightened banking citizens by making people aware of safer and smarter ways to save, enabling them to take informed decisions while choosing insurance products, and encouraging the responsible use of digital banking platforms for their financial needs. As cyber frauds continue to evolve, it is equally important for customers to remain vigilant and adopt safe digital banking practices."
Emphasising the importance of Re-KYC, she said, "Re-KYC is not merely a regulatory requirement; it is essential for ensuring uninterrupted access to your savings, banking services and other financial products. Banks have significantly simplified the process, and today customers can complete Re-KYC conveniently through digital channels as well."
Urging the participants to become ambassadors of the financial inclusion movement she said, "I request all of you to carry these messages forward so that together we can ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left behind."
Prior to the inaugural session, CGM RBI interacted with the bank staff and Banking Correspondents of various banks manning different stalls set up at the venue. She appreciated their role in extending banking services to the last mile and stressed the need for expediting the completion of pending Re-KYC formalities to strengthen customer service, ensure regulatory compliance and enhance the integrity of the financial ecosystem.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Chief General Manager Imtiyaz Ahmed Bhat said that financial inclusion is not merely about opening bank accounts; it is about empowering every citizen with access to savings, insurance, pension, digital payments, government welfare benefits, and protection against cyber fraud.
Highlighting the progress achieved in J&K, he said, "The banking ecosystem in the Union Territory has made commendable progress in advancing the financial inclusion agenda through the collective efforts of the UT Administration, Reserve Bank of India, member banks and line departments. Today, Jammu & Kashmir has over 25 lakh PMJDY accounts, supported by more than 16 lakh RuPay Debit Cards. During the last financial year alone, banks opened 1.57 lakh new PMJDY accounts, while enrolments under the social security schemes registered encouraging growth, with 31% growth under PMSBY, 29% under PMJJBY and 26% under APY." |
