Safe Transactions and Cybersecurity Financial Literacy

Remarkable Success by District Finance Lab in Preventing Cyber Fraud
So far, 730 youths trained in digital banking

Raipur, Nov 2025 : The District Finance Lab has achieved notable success in helping citizens protect themselves from cyber fraud. Incidents of cybercrime and financial scams are rapidly increasing, and in response, the Balodabazar–Bhatapara district administration has established a district-level Finance Lab. This Finance Lab provides training to common citizens on cyber safety, modern financial systems, safe transaction practices, and the use of digital banking. The District Finance Lab has been operational at Pandit Chakrapani Shukla Government Higher Secondary School, Balodabazar, since 2 November 2025.

730 Youth Connected with the Finance Lab

With cyber fraud and financial scams on the rise, it has become essential to take strong and effective measures to protect citizens and make them financially aware. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, and through the initiative of the Collector of Balodabazar–Bhatapara, nearly 730 youths have joined the Finance Lab in less than a month, reflecting its growing success. Through the lab, young people are showing greater interest in understanding financial concepts and developing safe and responsible financial behaviour.

Main Objective: Practical Financial Education for Youth

The primary aim of the Finance Lab is to connect children and youth with practical financial education. In today’s world, theoretical knowledge alone is not enough—financial literacy and practical understanding are equally important. With this vision, the Finance Lab has been designed so that students, youth, and citizens of the district can easily learn financial concepts through games, activities, and innovation-based training.

Learning to Identify Financial Fraud & Develop Financial Planning Skills

The Finance Lab is a dedicated space that gives students, investors, and the general public the opportunity to practice real-life financial scenarios and tools. It helps people learn skills such as budgeting, saving, insurance planning, and informed investment decision-making—skills useful throughout life. Participants are also trained to identify financial fraud and plan their finances wisely.

To support students interested in business and startups, special rooms like Lakshya Kaksh, Aakanksha Kaksh, and Udaan Kaksh have been set up, where they will receive guidance on every essential aspect. Group activities also include demonstrations of auction processes. The lab is proving extremely beneficial in providing financial literacy to the youth in rural areas.

Opportunity to Learn Technology & Safe Financial Services

Benefits of the Finance Lab:

• Citizens learn correct methods of financial and digital transactions.
• Helps prevent cyber fraud, phishing, ATM scams, and fake investment schemes.
• Enhances understanding of proper investment and financial management.
• Strengthens both rural and urban communities through financial literacy.
• Provides youth with opportunities to engage with new technology and safe financial services.

This initiative by Balodabazar is set to become an exemplary model for the entire country.