National Stock Exchange of India and Varanasi District Administration sign MOU to Enhance Financial Literacy and Investor Awareness, Facilitate Fund Raising for MSMEs and Implement Student Skilling Program
India’s leading stock exchange, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Varanasi District Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance Financial Literacy and Investor Awareness amongst MSME’s for fund raising via IPO mechanism using NSE SME Platform – NSE EMERGE and to implement Student Skilling Program.
This MOU was exchanged between Shri Ankit Sharma, Chief Regulatory Officer, NSE and Shri Himanshu Nagpal, Chief Development Officer, Varanasi District Administration in the presence of Smt. Anandiben Patel, Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Neelkanth Tiwari, Member of Legislative Assembly, Varanasi South, UP, Smt. Poonam Maurya, Varanasi District Panchayat President, Shri Saurabh Srivastava, Member of Legislative Assembly, Varanasi Cantt., UP, Shri Dharmendra Singh, Member of Legislative Council, UP, Shri Hansraj Vishwakarma, Member of Legislative Council, UP and Shri S. Rajalingam, District Magistrate, Varanasi District Administration in Varanasi.
As part of the understanding, NSE with the support of the Varanasi District Administration shall conduct awareness drive through seminars, camps, knowledge sessions, road shows, workshops to spread financial literacy and investor awareness. The partnership will also aim to guide MSMEs for fund raising on the NSE Emerge platform and handhold companies in the listing process. This MoU also aims to empower the youth with industry-relevant skills and enhance their employability in the BFSI sector through NSE’s Student Skilling Program. This is an initiative that aligns with the Union government’s vision of unlocking human capital by making them employable or providing self-employment opportunities in the BFSI sector. Varanasi has an expanding financial ecosystem, and it is imperative to empower the students, investors and corporates. This understanding embraces various fabrics of the financial ecosystem targeting various stakeholders. This multifaceted MOU empowers the investors in order enhance financial literacy, investor awareness and investor empowerment.
Smt. Anandiben Patel, Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, said: “Financial literacy and investor awareness are essential pillars for economic empowerment. This collaboration between the National Stock Exchange and the Varanasi District Administration is a significant step toward creating new opportunities for MSMEs through capital markets and equipping our youth with industry-relevant skills. By enhancing investor awareness and fostering financial inclusion, this initiative will contribute to the economic growth of Uttar Pradesh and strengthen its position as a hub of entrepreneurship and
development. I commend NSE and the administration for their commitment to empowering our citizens and driving financial progress in the state.”
Shri S. Rajalingam, District Magistrate, Varanasi said: “This MoU is not just about expanding financial knowledge; it is about empowering our citizen’s, students, MSMEs, and corporates alike with the knowledge, tools and skills needed to thrive. Together, we are creating a robust financial ecosystem that will pave the way for sustainable growth and innovation in Varanasi”.
Shri Himanshu Nagpal, Chief Development Officer, Varanasi District Administration, said: “By combining NSE’s expertise with our local development initiatives we look forward to implementing these programs and witnessing their positive impact in our district’s development journey”.
Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, NSE said: “Through initiatives like the investor awareness, guidance on fund raising via the NSE Emerge platform and Student Skilling Program, we aim to nurture a knowledgeable ecosystem for corporates and investors and equip young talents with the skills needed in today’s dynamic financial landscape”.
From April 2024 to February 2025, 13,203 Investor Awareness Programs were conducted across 35 states & Union Territories in 14 languages, reaching 7.24 lakh participants by NSE. More than 4500 students have been trained under the Student Skilling Program across various states. Also, 605 companies from various sectors are listed on NSE Emerge platform and have collectively raised over INR 16,587 Cr. The total market capitalization of these companies is approximately INR 1,85,000 Cr.