RBI unveils mission SAKSHAM to bolster Urban Co-operative Banking sector
New Delhi, April 28
The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday launched Mission SAKSHAM, a dedicated initiative designed to strengthen the Urban Co-operative Banking sector through a nationwide capacity-building training program. The project represents a mission-mode effort to enhance the professional competencies of personnel across the sector.
The RBI announced that the Governor officially introduced the initiative today, marking a continuation of ongoing regulatory and supervisory measures intended to support the UCB landscape. According to an official release from the RBI, the mission was developed following extensive consultations with the Umbrella Organisation of UCBs along with various National and State Cooperative Federations.
"Under Mission SAKSHAM, a large number of training programmes (in-person as well as e-learning courses) would be conducted for UCBs, covering about 1.40 lakh participants, for various target groups, viz., Board Members, Senior Management, Heads of Risk, Compliance and Audit functions, and employees working in IT functions and other critical areas," the RBI release stated.
The training framework focuses on a wide demographic within the banking structure, ensuring that both leadership and technical staff receive specialized instruction. To ensure effective delivery and accessibility, the central bank indicated that it would attempt to provide content in regional languages where feasible, catering to the diverse geographic presence of these institutions.
"The Mission is expected to enhance managerial and operational capabilities, improve the compliance culture, and strengthen institutional resilience across UCBs," the statement further noted.
The RBI intends for this training to go beyond simple skill acquisition, aiming instead to foster a more robust internal culture within these financial entities.
"Mission SAKSHAM aims to establish a sustainable, self-reinforcing ecosystem for continuous learning, contributing significantly to systemic stability and healthy growth and development of the UCB sector," the RBI stated in the release.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see a structured capacity-building initiative. But the real test will be implementation on the ground—getting 1.4 lakh participants trained across diverse geographies is no small feat. Hope there’s robust follow-up to ensure the learning sticks, not just a one-time checkbox exercise.
As someone who relies on a local UCB for my small savings, this is reassuring. The compliance culture piece is crucial—too many co-operative banks have shaky internal controls. If SAKSHAM genuinely strengthens governance, it will protect millions of depositors like my family. 🙏
Interesting—the focus on IT functions and audit is spot-on. In today's digital age, even small co-operative banks need robust cybersecurity and risk management. I just hope the e-learning modules are accessible to older staff who might not be tech-savvy. Regional language content will help, but hands-on training may still be needed.
The Umbrella Organisation of UCBs involvement is a smart move—they know the local challenges better than anyone in Mumbai. I’ve seen many co-operative banks struggle with professional management despite well-meaning boards. Training board members is especially critical. Let’s hope this isn’t just another bureaucratic scheme, but a sincere push for systemic stability. 🤞
A sustainable learning ecosystem sounds great in theory, but what about accountability? Training alone won't fix the deep-rooted issues of political interference and nepotism in some UCBs. The RBI should also strengthen supervisory monitoring alongside this mission. Still, a positive step in the right direction.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.