PM Jan Dhan scheme marks 12 years; number of accounts crosses 59 cr with Rs 3.17 lakh cr deposits

New Delhi: Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), the government's flagship financial inclusion scheme, has completed 12 years, with the number of bank accounts under the scheme crossing 59 crore and deposits at Rs 3.17 lakh crore, the finance ministry said on Thursday.

The scheme, launched on August 28, 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is providing banking and financial services to unbanked and economically disadvantaged sections, with 78 percent of PMJDY accounts opened in rural and semi-urban areas and around 56 percent held by women.

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The average deposit per account is Rs 5,356 as on August 19, 2026, and the average deposit per account has increased 3.4 times in the last 12 years, the finance ministry said in a statement.

The increase in the average deposit is another indication of the increased usage of accounts and the inculcation of saving habits among account holders, it said.

Speaking on the anniversary, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said the success of PMJDY should not be viewed merely in terms of the number of accounts opened, but in its transformation of the country's banking and financial landscape.

PMJDY has empowered millions, particularly the marginalised sections, to access banking and financial services to improve their socio-economic conditions, he said.

"Account ownership has enabled the common man to have insurance and pension coverage. Through relentless saturation drives across every state and district, we have moved towards near-universal coverage of bank accounts and steadily widened the reach of insurance and pension schemes to those who need them most," he said.

Chaudhary also appreciated the efforts of bankers and business correspondents deployed across the country for taking the PMJDY scheme to the common man and contributing to its success.

The Jan-Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, with PMJDY at its core, has proven to be a diversion-proof mechanism for the direct delivery of financial assistance, the ministry said.

Through JAM, the government has successfully transferred welfare benefits directly into the bank accounts of the underprivileged, eliminating intermediaries and delays, it added.

Under PMJDY, eligible account holders get a basic bank account without any minimum balance requirement or maintenance charges. The accounts are also linked with free RuPay debit cards, which provide accident insurance cover of up to Rs 2 lakh.

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As many as 41.29 crore RuPay cards have been issued to PMJDY account holders, and the number and usage of RuPay cards have increased over time, it said.

Account holders are also eligible for an overdraft facility of up to Rs 10,000, providing financial support during emergencies, the ministry said.

With visible saving patterns, account holders are now eligible for loans, including MUDRA loans, empowering individuals to grow their incomes and build financial resilience, it said.

The ministry said PMJDY accounts have also helped extend insurance and pension coverage to millions, particularly workers in the unorganised sector, through the government's Jan Suraksha schemes -- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana.

The ministry said continued saturation drives across states and districts have helped the country move towards near-universal coverage of bank accounts while steadily expanding the reach of insurance and pension schemes.

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