Offline cyber fraud awareness reaches out to rural areas in state
Bajaj Finance's financial literacy programme held in city; cyber cell SP says be wary of social media in the age of AI
Shillong, Aug 1: The Meghalaya Cyber Crime Cell has been conducting offline awareness sessions for citizens in the wake of the rising number of cyber fraud cases in the state.
Speaking at a financial literacy programme, named Arthsutra Samvad, organised by Bajaj Finance in the city on Friday, Cyber Meghalaya SP Pankaj Kumar Rasgania said, “Our offline awareness sessions are more than those online. We are conducting three sessions every week. For the rural populace, we are collaborating with NGOs for awareness.”
The cyber cell is also reaching out to schools and colleges to educate the youth about the evolving cybercrime scenario.
When asked how well-equipped the cybercrime cell in the state is, Rasgania said Meghalaya is technologically well-equipped, though manpower remains a challenge, “like any other state”.
Admitting that AI is a new challenge, Rasgania said one should be wary of social media posts and take everything with a pinch of salt. “However, here, when we speak of financial literacy, we mean more basic understanding of the system,” he added.
Professor Utpal De of the NEHU Economics Department also spoke on the occasion. According to him, financial literacy programmes help citizens understand the importance of investment, the right choices, and the necessity of saving the right way.
“Gone are the days when poor or middle-income individuals, especially in rural areas, used to keep their monetary savings under mattresses or in hidden pots for security or precautionary purposes—such practices no longer preserve the value of money. In today’s digital era, banking services offer secure and efficient avenues for growing one’s hard-earned income,” he added.
A 2023 report by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries indicates that Meghalaya was among the states with a low financial literacy index. The report showed that the percentages of financial illiteracy in rural and urban Meghalaya were 55.4% and 32.3%, respectively.
Among the speakers was Lajiedlang Basaiawmoit, District Mission Manager at the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society, East Khasi Hills. She said, “The Livelihood Programme helps people learn smart ways to manage their money. It teaches them how to save, budget, and use banks and insurance to protect their future.”
Arthsutra Samvad is being implemented under the RBI’s initiative for augmenting financial literacy and awareness. On its 100th year, Bajaj Finance will conduct this programme in 100 cities across the country. In urban areas, the focus will be more on cyber fraud cases and how to avoid such crime.
The programme will be amplified through cultural events in Meghalaya and will include interactive workshops, expert talks and community engagement activities, designed to simplify finance and encourage lifelong financial learning.
