The first meeting of the GPFI under India’s Presidency was organised on 9th January 2023 at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal. One of the highlights of the event was the exhibition on Digital Innovations for Advancing Financial Inclusion, in which NABARD had taken the lead role. 12 institutions participated in the exhibition: NABARD, UIDAI, NPCI, SBI, SIDBI, Bandhan Bank, SLBC WB, NCFE, RXIL, MOSIP, IFSCA and NABVENTURES’ supported start-up Unnati.

The main objective of the Exhibition was to showcase:

India’s success in digital financial inclusion,

  • contribution of various stakeholders in advancing financial inclusion through digitalisation,
  • transformation of lives of beneficiaries due to digital financial inclusion,
  • how new and innovative technologies have been leveraged to improve financial inclusion as well as to provide a platform for networking.
Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee appreciated NABARD’s initiatives and interventions in taking rural India forward
CEO of UIDAI Dr. Saurabh Garg, HM Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and other dignitaries at NABARD stall
Dr. Shashi Panja, Cabinet Minister for Industries, Commerce & Enterprises and Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare of the Government of West Bengal

In the exhibition, NABARD’s initiatives in Digital Financial Inclusion were showcased under four display categories, viz., micro ATMs, Mobile ATMs, Financial Literacy Awareness Programmes and SHG-JLG initiatives. A live demo of dual authentication model by Bank Sakhis from Aryavart Bank also formed part of our stall. An interactive quiz on G20 and FI was facilitated through tablets and the delegates who participated were presented with mementos.

As a ‘Go Green’ initiative, all display collaterals (videos and success stories) were made available as digital takeaways for all the delegates as customised bundles through QR codes directly into their mail inbox, which was a huge hit among the visitors.

Smt. Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge), Health and Family Welfare, Land and Land Reforms, Refugee and Rehabilitation of the Government of West Bengal at the stall
Hon’ble Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Sri Arjun Munda addressing the gathering on Day 2 of the event – Seminar on Financial Literacy, hosted by NABARD

The exhibition was inaugurated by Dr. Saurabh Garg, CEO, UIDAI. We were honoured by the visit of Madam Mamata Banerjee, Hon’ble Chief Minister, West Bengal who appreciated NABARD’s efforts in ensuring inclusion among the rural masses. Hon’ble Minister of Industries, Commerce and Enterprises, Dr. Shashi Panja and Hon’ble Minister of State of Finance Smt. Chandrima Bhattacharya also visited the exhibition and had a detailed interaction with all the organisations.

Hon’ble Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Shri Arjun Munda also visited the exhibition and showed keen interest in the initiatives and display collaterals of NABARD.

Bank Sakhis – Sarita Gupta and Meera Devi from Aryavart Bank, presented live demonstration of the AePS and Dual Authentication model through the handheld Micro ATM device