Press Information Bureau

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India’s newly established Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Invoking the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, the Prime Minister celebrated Bhubaneswar gifting a vital new institution to New India. He congratulated the RBI and everyone involved in launching both facilities. “This will be very beneficial for the people of Odisha and the country,” affirmed Shri Modi.

Highlighting the broader significance of the inauguration, the Prime Minister stated that the event demonstrates a fundamental shift in the nation's administrative approach. He emphasized that contemporary governance is anchored in prioritizing development, expanding its scale, and ensuring last-mile delivery. "Today’s program is proof of how the approach to Governance has changed in India,” noted PM Modi.

The Prime Minister detailed the shift toward a Pro-People, Pro-Active Good Governance model focused on balanced regional growth, dignity for the poor, and ensuring no citizen is left behind. He highlighted that expressways are now connecting small towns, institutions like AIIMS have expanded across numerous states, medical colleges are being opened in smaller towns, nearly 1.75 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established in villages, and digital connectivity is expanding across remote areas. “Making the life of the citizen easier and giving new opportunities to their dreams is now the real purpose of Governance,” asserted Shri Modi.

The Prime Minister pointed out that although banks were nationalized in the 1960s and 1970s in the name of the poor, over half the population remained outside the banking ecosystem until 2014, when bank loans were a distant dream for the middle class and unthinkable for small farmers, the landless, and women. He noted that the modern era of financial inclusion has transformed this landscape across the country. "Today in India, digital banking has connected everyone to 24-hour banking services,” observed PM Modi.

"Today, through digital banking, every family in the country has become a beneficiary,” asserted Shri Modi. The Prime Minister highlighted the complete elimination of any leakages today. He explained that every single rupee disbursed by the central government now reaches the beneficiary's account intact. "This has become possible only because of the nearly 60 crore Jan Dhan accounts opened in the country,” noted PM Modi.

Emphasizing that even individuals without collateral can now access affordable formal credit to start businesses, the Prime Minister highlighted how small entrepreneurs, traditional artisans, street vendors, and unorganized workers are thriving through targeted interventions. He noted that 13 crore people became first-time entrepreneurs under the Mudra Yojana, lakhs of street vendors and skilled artisans gained formal credit via PM SVANidhi and PM Vishwakarma, and Self-Help Groups representing 10 crore rural women received thousands of crores in bank assistance. "For the first time, they have received the benefit of formal banking,” observed Shri Modi.

Noting that debit and credit cards were once the exclusive preserve of the wealthy before becoming accessible to every citizen through crores of RuPay cards symbolizing self-respect and self-reliance, the Prime Minister credited the banking fraternity for driving this transformation. He lauded the collective efforts of the central bank, commercial banks, and every single banking employee across the nation. "All of you are partners in this glory,” commended PM Modi.

Detailing the unprecedented expansion of the social security net alongside economic empowerment guided by the mantra of Nagrik Devo Bhava, the Prime Minister noted that the Atal Pension Yojana covers 9 crore citizens, including 38 lakh in Odisha, while the PM Suraksha Bima Yojana, at a 20-rupee annual premium for a 2-lakh-rupee accident cover, and the PM Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, at under 450 rupees annually for life cover, have made once-luxury insurance accessible to the poor and middle class. He pointed out that unlike other governments that would have generated major headlines and fanfare over such payouts, over 25,000 crore rupees in claims have been quietly disbursed to families during difficult times. “This is what good governance is,” affirmed Shri Modi.

Stating that while the past decade focused on banking the unbanked, the coming decade is dedicated to making banking more efficient and reliable with the support of Odisha's new Data Centre and robust computing systems, the Prime Minister warned that modern warfare targets economies through evolving cyber threats. Stressing that a rising economic power must shield its financial system from cyber looters and cyber terrorists, he emphasized the need to replace outdated training tools with modern infrastructure and skilled human resources. "Right here, the role of this new cybersecurity institute becomes crucial,” asserted PM Modi.

Spotlighting Eastern India as a powerful growth engine for a Viksit Bharat and noting the accelerated momentum under Odisha's current government, the Prime Minister observed that the state is pairing its traditional mineral-based industries with a new ecosystem of semiconductors, electronics, data centres, and advanced computing to script a new future from mines to microchips. Expressing full confidence that these emerging avenues will unlock vast opportunities and fulfill the grand dreams of Odisha's youth, he concluded with his festive best wishes and chants of Jai Jagannath. "You will see, Odisha, from mines to microchips, is going to write a new future,” affirmed Shri Modi.

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MJPS/SS/PRK