business100news.com: State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) Kerala & Lakshadweep Convener Pradeep K. S. addressed the media at a press conference on the nationwide three-month campaign launched by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, aimed at achieving complete financial inclusion across all gram panchayats.
He cautioned that fraudsters are increasingly targeting school and college students to open mule accounts, which are then misused to launder money and commit cyber fraud. Highlighting that Kerala is becoming a hotspot for such activities, he informed that as part of the campaign, awareness programmes are being conducted in educational institutions to alert youth against these dangers. He further warned that holders of such mule accounts risk serious legal consequences, including imprisonment, a permanent criminal record, and blacklisting by financial institutions, and urged everyone to remain vigilant against digital fraud and online scams.
Speaking on banking services, Pradeep stressed the need for re-KYC of accounts that have completed ten years, including PM Jan Dhan Yojana accounts. He clarified that benefits such as subsidies from government schemes cannot be withdrawn from accounts with pending re-KYC. In Kerala alone, 57 lakh accounts, about 20% of the total, require re-KYC, he said.
Pradeep also explained the benefits of government-backed insurance and pension schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), and the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), especially for unorganised sector workers. He further pointed out that there are unclaimed deposits worth ₹67,000 crore across India, underscoring the importance of nominations in all banking services.
As part of the campaign, camps are being organised in every gram panchayat under the leadership of banks, to provide these services directly to people. In Kerala, the campaign has already covered 500 out of 941 panchayats. The nationwide drive will continue until September 30, 2025.
The press conference was also attended by V. Palanichamy, Additional Director General, Press Information Bureau Thiruvananthapuram, and George Mathew, Deputy Director, Press Information Bureau Thiruvananthapuram.
