‘Rs 16,640 crore transferred directly to 1.82 crore beneficiaries in Assam in four years’

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Over the last four years, Rs 16,640 crore has been transferred directly to around 1.82 crore beneficiaries in Assam through various DBT-enabled schemes, demonstrating the growing scale, reach and effectiveness of digital welfare delivery.

The figure was revealed at a regional media workshop, 'Vartalap', organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Guwahati, under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in collaboration with the State Bank of India (SBI), today on the theme "12 Years of Vishwas, Vikas and Jan-Kalyan: Empowerment Through Financial Inclusion."

According to SBI data, Rs 16,640 crore has been transferred directly to beneficiaries under Orunodoi 2.0, the Nijut Moina scheme, the Jibon Anuprerana scheme, pre-matric scholarships, dairy subsidy support and other welfare programmes. In 2023, the amount transferred through DBT was Rs 638 crore; in 2024, it was Rs 6,367 crore; in 2025, Rs 4,354 crore; and in 2026 (until March), it was Rs 4,980 crore.

Sushmita Phukan, Regional Director, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), while addressing the regional media workshop, highlighted the importance of the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and spoke about RBI's action plans towards strengthening financial inclusion. She also stressed the transformative role of technology-driven platforms such as UPI and Jan Dhan accounts in expanding financial access.

During the panel discussion, Dr Abhijit Sharma, professor at IIBM, highlighted the long journey of financial inclusion in India, tracing its evolution through initiatives such as Self Help Groups (SHGs), RBI policies, JAM Trinity, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and the growth of digital payment infrastructure. He underlined how various ease-of-living initiatives of the government have further strengthened financial inclusion and expanded access to financial services.

Atul Rathi, CGM of SBI, spoke about SBI's role in nation-building by balancing opportunity, responsibility, social responsibility and commercial viability. He highlighted that SBI is working towards transforming India through financial inclusion and stated that financial inclusion creates opportunities while also being beneficial and sustainable for the banking sector. He emphasised the importance of financial inclusion in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Loken Das, CGM of NABARD, highlighted NABARD's role as an apex financial institution working towards inclusive growth by supporting government initiatives and providing finance and refinance support to banks for agricultural and rural infrastructure development. He noted that digitalisation has taken financial inclusion to a new level by improving accessibility and outreach among citizens.

During the workshop, Amit Ranjan, DGM, SBI, highlighted the progress of financial inclusion in Assam over the last 12 years, focusing on expanding banking access, digital transformation and inclusive growth.

The event began with welcome remarks by Kripa Shankar Yadav (IIS), Additional Director General, PIB North-East Zone, who highlighted the importance of effective communication between the government and media in creating awareness about various public welfare initiatives.

Also Read: Assam Transfers Rs 3,600 Crore to 40 Lakh Orunodoi Beneficiaries in Single-Day DBT