Udupi: UGC sponsored Two day National Seminar on Financial Inclusion – Opportunities and Challenges was inaugurated at Milagres College Silver Jubilee Hall, Milagres College, Kallianpur near here on Friday, 19th August, 2016, jointly organized by Milagres College and Mangalore University Commerce Teacher’s Association (MUCTA).

The national level seminar was inaugurated by Dr. Yashavantha Dongre, Professor of Commerce, Mysore University, Hassan PG Centre by lighting the lamp along with Very Rev Fr. Stany. B. Lobo Correspondent of Milagres Educational Institutions, Dr. Gerald Pinto Principal of Milagres College, Rev Fr. Prakash Anil Castelino Campus Director of the colleges, Dr. Herald Monis Coordinator of the seminar and Nagaraj Convener of the seminar.

In his inaugural address Dr. Yashvantha Dongre said that effort of financial inclusion is not new, both government and the Reserve Bank have been pursuing this goal over several decades through the building the rural cooperative structure in the 1950s, the social contract with banks in the 1960s and the expansion of bank branch networks in the 1970s and 1980s. These initiatives have paid off in term of a network branches across the country.

Even at the cost of being clichéd, that banking on the poor can actually be a rich banking proposition. Financial inclusion is a win – win opportunity for the poor, for the banks and for the nation because of growing incomes and improving awareness levels, aspiration of the poor are on the rise. We will not be forgiven if we do not rise up to meet these aspirations if only because of poverty of imagination, it is for the banks to cover what they see as a dead – weight obligation into an exciting opportunity.

Dr. Gerald Pinto and Rev Fr. Prakash Anil Castelino spoke during the occasion. Earlier Nagaraj welcomed the gatherings. Dr. Herald Monis proposed vote of thanks and Ms. Anusha D’Souza compered the inaugural session.

During the first technical session role of financial literacy in financial inclusion by A. L. Kulkarni, DGM/FM, Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), NABARD, Mangaluru and the second session will be Role of Micro finance in Financial Inclusion by Dr. Sridhar Shetty, Principal, Bunts Sangha’s S. M. Shetty College of Science, Commerce and Management Studies, Powai, Mumbai. Paper Presentations in Parallel sessions will be held at the end.

.On the Second day started with Paper Presentations in parallel sessions and then third session will on financial inclusion – Strategies by Banks by Dr. Suresh Poojary, Dean, Faculty of Commerce, St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru.