The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched a pilot programme titled 'Awareness Program on Digital Payments' on Thursday to promote safe and widespread adoption of digital payments across the country. According to a central bank statement, the pilot will be conducted in Maharashtra in partnership with CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd. The program is being launched as part of the sixth edition of Digital Payments Awareness Week (DPAW), which is being observed during March 9-13, 2026.
The program aims to conduct in-person awareness sessions for 10 lakh participants in rural and semi-urban areas. These sessions will be carried out by Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) as reported by The Hindu BusinessLine. The initiative represents a significant effort to reach a substantial portion of India's rural population with digital payment education and awareness.
Governor Sanjay Malhotra emphasised the need to maintain trust in digital payment systems and highlighted the central bank's efforts to enhance customer awareness and protection. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine, he also urged stakeholders to work collaboratively to strengthen public confidence in the adoption and use of digital payments. Following the launch, the RBI Governor held discussions with the Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers of select Payment Systems Operators (PSOs).
The RBI also unveiled a multi-media awareness campaign titled 'Thoda Dhyan Se', encouraging users to remain alert and cautious while making online payments and transacting online. According to the central bank statement, this campaign is designed to complement the awareness program and provide comprehensive guidance on digital payment safety and security measures.
In a significant development supporting digital payment adoption, Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank Ltd. has partnered with Airpay Payment Services to enable UPI payments across 21,000+ Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), 31 District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs), and 55 MSCB branches across Maharashtra. This network, belonging to India's largest co-operative bank, handles an annual business volume of ₹62,000 crore, with UPI payments now available at no additional cost to merchants. The partnership extends India's digital payments network to farmers, traders, and cooperative members across Maharashtra, many of whom are transacting digitally for the first time.