New Delhi: The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), the world’s largest financial inclusion programme, has completed 11 years, marking what the government described as a “transformative impact” on India’s financial landscape.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 28, 2014, PMJDY has opened over 56.16 crore bank accounts, with deposits now standing at Rs2.68 lakh crore, the Finance Ministry said today.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the scheme has been central to bringing the poor and marginalised into the formal financial system.
“Financial inclusion is a key driver of economic growth and development. Universal access to bank accounts enables the poor and marginalised to participate fully in the formal economy and benefit from its opportunities,” Sitharaman said in her message.
She added that more than 38 crore free RuPay cards have been issued under PMJDY, significantly boosting digital transactions. “It is noteworthy that 67% of accounts are in rural or semi-urban areas, and 56% are owned by women, indicating how underprivileged individuals living in far-flung areas have been brought into the formal financial sector,” she said.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary described the scheme as a landmark global model.
“PMJDY has been one of the most successful financial inclusion initiatives not only in the country but in the whole world. The Jan Dhan Yojana is about dignity, empowerment and opportunity,” Chaudhary said.
He highlighted the government’s ongoing saturation campaign, under which financial services camps are being held in all 2.7 lakh gram panchayats till September 30. These camps facilitate opening of new accounts, enrolment under insurance and pension schemes, re-KYC, and updating nominations.
“Our effort is to bring financial services to the doorstep of the common man,” Chaudhary added.
As of August 13, 2025, the number of Jan Dhan accounts has touched 56.16 crore, of which 55.7% belong to women and 66.7% are in rural and semi-urban areas. The deposits under these accounts stand at Rs2.67 lakh crore, nearly twelve times higher than in 2015, while the average deposit per account has risen to Rs4,768, an increase of 3.7 times over the last decade.
Alongside, 38.68 crore RuPay cards have been issued, providing account holders with access to digital transactions and financial security.
The Finance Ministry noted that digital payments have surged with the spread of PMJDY accounts, RuPay cards, and mobile-based systems such as UPI. The total number of digital transactions rose from 2,338 crore in FY 2018-19 to 22,198 crore in FY 2024-25, while UPI transactions alone jumped from 535 crore to 18,587 crore in the same period.
PMJDY accounts also serve as the backbone of the Jan-Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, enabling direct benefit transfers (DBT) without leakages. In FY 2024-25 alone, Rs 6.9 lakh crore was transferred directly into beneficiary accounts under various schemes.
Over the years, the scheme has extended access to micro-insurance, pension coverage, overdraft facilities up to Rs10,000, and accident insurance cover of Rs2 lakh, apart from promoting savings habits among millions.
As the initiative enters its 12th year, the Finance Ministry said PMJDY has emerged as a “game changer for financial inclusion in the country,” ensuring that “no citizen is left behind in the journey towards financial independence.”
