Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana | 20 Aug 2025

Source: TH

The Finance Ministry stated that nearly one-fourth of PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts are inoperative, raising concerns about financial inclusion and account usage. 

• Scale of Inoperative Accounts: Out of 56.04 crore PMJDY accounts, 13.04 crore (23%) are inoperative. Uttar Pradesh has the highest share (2.75 crore), followed by Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. 
  • As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, a savings account is marked inoperative if there are no transactions for over 2 years. 
    • However, Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) continue to flow even into inactive accounts. 
• About PM Jan Dhan Yojana: It provides a basic zero-balance account for every unbanked adult without any opening or maintenance charges.  
  • Account holders receive a RuPay debit card with Rs 2 lakh accident insurance cover and are eligible for an overdraft facility of up to Rs 10,000 to meet emergencies.  
  • The scheme also serves as a key platform for Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) and subsidies, and through its integration with the JAM trinity (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile), it ensures transparent and efficient delivery of welfare schemes. 
• Transformative Impact: PMJDY has significantly boosted women’s financial inclusion-women owning bank accounts rose from 53% (2015-16) to 79% (2019-21). 
  • Leveraging PMJDY’s financial inclusion base, access to Mudra loans has expanded, recording a CAGR of 9.8% between 2019 and 2024. 
  • The scheme has also boosted savings habits with an average deposit of  Rs 4,352.