Oct 12, 2017
Centre for Digital Financial Inclusion (CDFI) recently conducted training sessions on effective management of Voluntary Organisations and how technology can help in implementation of rural transformation projects at a two-day technical training programme on ‘Financial Management, Record Management, and Proposal Writing' organised by Indian Social Responsibility Network (ISRN), along with NABARD. The programme was held at the Lucknow-based Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD) on the 12th and 13th October 2017.
Participants from 40 voluntary organisations that work at the grassroots level in Uttar Pradesh attended this two-day programme.
The event was inaugurated by Sh. Om Prakash Sakhlecha, Chairperson, ISRN, MLA, Jawad with the lighting of the lamp during the inauguration session. In his welcome address, he thanked the participants and chief guests for attending this two-day workshop and spoke about how it would be a useful platform to impart and receive knowledge.
Shri Santosh Gupta, CEO, ISRN and Shri D.V. Deshpande, BIRD also spoke during the inaugural session, reiterating the pivotal role played by digital technology in the scope of work of voluntary organisations, especially in tackling the main challenges of tranparency and legal compliance.
In his remarks during the inaugural session, Sh. Krishnan Dharmarajan said, "In sync with the government’s priorities our benefit delivery systems can be strengthened through digital technology. Innovations in this space can go a long way to ensure that benefits reach the poor and excluded without delay and leakages." Introducing CDFI to the participants he added that the focus of CDFI has been on how to bring the poorer sections of the society into the financial mainstream through digitisation and technology. Sh. Krishnan emphasised that technology is essential to reach the millions and without technology, accountability and transparency cannot be reached. He added that CDFI works with governments, NGOs and voluntary organisations and the core focus is on innovation.
The inauguration session was followed by the CDFI sessions on KANCHI (Kisan Advancement through Cashless Innovation), a technology platform to manage operations of the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and provide credit linkages in cashless mode and SUNIDHI, CDFI's fund management and tracking tool that can help Voluntary Organizations in implementation, fund management, tracking and monitoring of CSR projects capabilities.
Sessions on CSR management and financial management were taken up on the second day of the programme, which was also attended by Dr. Mahendra Singh, The Hon'ble Minister of Rural Development, Integration Rural development, Medical and Health, Uttar Pradesh and Sh. H.R. Dave, Deputy Managing Director, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).