Post Graduate Department of Economics of PG Government College for Girls, Sector-11, Chandigarh organized a National Seminar on “Financial Inclusion in North-western region in India” on 06-03-2024. The seminar was sponsored by ICSSR North Western Region Chandigarh. More than one hundred delegates registered for the seminar.
While introducing the topic, Principal Prof. Anita Kaushal expressed that although a rapid growth has been witnessed in the financial sector all over the world, but the exclusion of a major segment of population from coverage of basic financial services is a big problem. Prof B.S. Ghuman, Former Vice Chancellor, Punjabi University, in his Keynote address felt that Financial Inclusion is necessary to reduce poverty, and to speed up economic development. Prof. Sanjay Kaushik, Dean College Development Council, PU and Honorary Director, ICSSR NW Region Chandigarh the Chief Guest on the occasion, observed that Financial Inclusion reinforces human development by creating economic opportunities to the poor. It was highlighted that globally 24 percent, in developing nations 29 percent of adults have no bank account. Gender gap in account ownership is concerned globally 22 percent of men, 26 percent of women have no bank account. The situation is worse in most of the emerging nations.
A book ‘Decent work in India’ was also released in the seminar, which has been edited by the present and retired faculty members Dr. Seepana Prakasam, Ms.Vinita Rao and Ms. Gurpreet Kaur. The book covers components such as promoting jobs, guaranteeing rights at work, social protection and promoting social dialogue.
Prof. Harsh Gandhar, Director, Centre for Distance and Open Learning, Panjab University, and Dr. Shashi Kant Associate Professor (Retd.) conducted the Technical Session. Prof. Gulshan Kumar, University Institute of Legal Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh in his Valedictory Address observed that due to an underdeveloped financial system and limited access to standard banking services, people and enterprises rely on informal sources of credit. Sixty research papers were presented by the students, research scholars and other delegates from different parts of India covering 25 sub themes such as Financial literacy, Role of banks and government, Jan Dhan Yojna in financial inclusion, Credit flow to MSMEs etc.
