The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), has launched a nationwide training initiative for block-level Panchayat representatives aimed at building financial literacy and investor awareness at the grassroots level and enabling rural outreach across India. The first programme ran on 9–10 August 2025 at the Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration in Pune, Maharashtra, bringing together over 100 Sarpanch and block-level representatives from districts across the state. Training sessions covered financial planning, savings and investments, safeguards against fraudulent schemes, and awareness of the securities market ecosystem and regulated investment avenues. SEBI and MoPR positioned the Pune programme as the first in a nationwide series intended to equip elected representatives to disseminate financial literacy and investor education in rural communities.