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Jaipur, Nov 1 (IANS) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Saturday addressed citizens in Udaipur during the central bank’s outreach program “Your Capital, Your Rights”, and cautioned people – especially senior citizens – against becoming victims of digital arrests and online frauds.
He stressed the importance of e-KYC for old bank accounts and urged the public to remain vigilant in the era of rapid digitalization.
“Everyone from cities to villages is now connected to the digital revolution. But we must be careful – especially our elders – so that they do not become victims of digital arrests and frauds,” Malhotra said.
Sharing his views, the RBI Governor highlighted the remarkable growth of women in the banking and administrative sectors.
“When we joined the service, there were only seven per cent women in our batch. I recently asked new officers about their numbers – they said around 33 to 50 per cent are women. Even today, half the participants here are women. It is a proud moment,” she said.
She also praised Udaipur divisional commissioner Pragya Kewalramani and local bank officials and said their leadership shows how women are now moving forward shoulder to shoulder with men across India.
Describing Udaipur as a city close to his heart, the RBI Governor recalled his previous posting in Rajasthan.
“I have worked in the city of lakes, Udaipur, during my career. This is my first visit to Rajasthan after taking over as RBI Governor and I am deeply impressed by the warmth here,” he said.
Malhotra served as the Tribal Commissioner in Udaipur (June 2009) and later as the Managing Director of Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Limited in August 2009.
Highlighting the progress in financial inclusion, the RBI Governor remarked that almost every citizen now has a digital bank account.
“Earlier we used to talk about literacy and awareness. Today, almost everyone has a digital bank account linked to net banking, mobile banking or an ATM,” he said.
He said the focus now is on ensuring digital financial literacy and secure transactions as India is transitioning to a completely digital economy.
During the drive, RBI also initiated the process of returning Rs 101.47 crore lying unclaimed in 2,86,243 bank accounts in Udaipur district to their rightful heirs.
RBI Deputy General Manager Vikas Aggarwal said these are unclaimed deposits which are being traced as part of a nationwide RBI initiative.
“This program launched under the direction of the Central Government aims to ensure that all unclaimed deposits reach their legitimate owners,” Aggarwal said.
Concluding his address, Malhotra urged citizens to be digitally aware and financially alert, and emphasized that customer security and convenience are the top priorities of the RBI.
“Do your e-KYC, be alert to cyber scams and ensure that your financial rights are protected,” he advised.
–IANS
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