Tripura launches its first Financial Literacy Training for Panchayat representatives, jointly organized by SEBI and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, to combat rural financial frauds and promote financial empowerment across villages through grassroots-level education and awareness programs.
In a ground-breaking step towards empowering rural communities and strengthening grassroots financial awareness, Tripura’s Minister for Panchayat Department, Kishor Barman, inaugurated a two-day ‘Financial Literacy and Investor Education’ training program at Hotel Polo Towers on Thursday. The event marks the first-of-its-kind initiative in the entire Northeast region, underscoring the state government’s commitment to promote financial resilience among rural citizens.
The program, jointly organized by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, aims to educate Panchayat representatives about financial management, investment safety, and prevention of fraud—skills crucial for protecting rural households from economic exploitation.
Calling the day “historic” for Tripura, Minister Barman highlighted that the initiative would serve as a turning point in the way rural communities approach money management. “This program is not merely about training,” Barman said, addressing the media. “It is about empowering every village in Tripura with financial wisdom. When our grassroots leaders become financially aware, they can guide thousands of families toward safer, smarter financial decisions.”
The minister expressed deep concern over the growing menace of financial scams and fraudulent investment schemes that often target rural populations. Many villagers, he noted, lose their hard-earned savings to unauthorized agents or deceptive investment opportunities due to a lack of basic financial knowledge.
“This initiative is a step toward ensuring that people in our villages are not financially exploited,” he asserted. “SEBI’s expertise in financial protection, combined with the Panchayat Department’s grassroots network, will help educate citizens on managing their income, savings, and investments wisely—so they never face financial crises in the future.”
The workshop, which includes interactive sessions and expert-led discussions, focuses on key topics such as budgeting, savings discipline, investment safety, understanding insurance policies, banking best practices, and identifying fraudulent financial activities. SEBI officials explained the significance of financial literacy as a foundational component of inclusive development, pointing out that informed citizens are less likely to fall victim to economic manipulation.
Participants include district and block-level Panchayat representatives, development officers, and government administrators from all eight districts of Tripura. After the completion of the two-day session, these trained representatives will conduct financial awareness camps across villages, acting as ambassadors of financial education at the grassroots level.
Officials from SEBI emphasized that the broader goal of the program is to create a self-sustaining financial literacy ecosystem, where knowledge flows from trained Panchayat members to community members, thereby strengthening financial security at every tier of rural society.
Minister Barman also highlighted the state government’s vision to integrate financial education into the rural development framework, aligning it with other welfare schemes aimed at economic upliftment. “Financial empowerment is as vital as social and infrastructural development,” he noted. “By integrating this training with our Panchayat system, we aim to ensure that no villager in Tripura remains vulnerable to financial deception.”
The minister further mentioned that similar programs will be expanded in future phases, covering self-help groups (SHGs), rural entrepreneurs, and youth groups to ensure that the message of financial prudence reaches every household in the state.
As the program progresses, SEBI experts are expected to provide toolkits and resource materials in local languages to make the learning process more accessible. The initiative is also expected to foster collaboration between financial institutions, local governance bodies, and community organizations to reinforce awareness.
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The event concluded with Minister Barman expressing optimism that the partnership between SEBI and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj will serve as a model for other northeastern states. “Tripura is proud to lead this movement,” he said. “When rural India becomes financially literate, the foundation of our economy becomes truly strong.”
With the success of this pioneering initiative, Tripura takes a significant step toward building a financially secure, aware, and empowered rural population—a model that could soon inspire replication across India.
