The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, an ambitious financial inclusion initiative launched by the central government, completed 10 years on Wednesday, with Uttar Pradesh emerging as the leading state, accounting for over 9.46 crore Jan Dhan accounts — 18 per cent of the more than 53 crore opened across the country during this period.

A notable achievement in Uttar Pradesh is the significant participation of women, with approximately 5 crore of these accounts belonging to female account holders. The state also leads in the distribution of RuPay cards through the Jan Dhan accounts.

The success of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana in Uttar Pradesh is a testament to the Yogi Adityanath government’s commitment to prioritising and effectively implementing central schemes.

Officials here on Thursday claimed that over the past decade, Uttar Pradesh has made remarkable strides in financial inclusion by prioritising the opening of Jan Dhan accounts for the poor. As of August 21, 2024, the state has successfully opened a total of 9,46,62,464 Jan Dhan accounts. Of these, 6,81,66,123, accounts have been opened in rural and semi-urban areas, while 2,64,96,341 accounts have been opened through urban and metro bank branches.

The total deposits in Jan Dhan accounts across the state have reached an impressive Rs 48,525.75 crore, representing over 21 per cent of the national total. Following Uttar Pradesh, Bihar ranks second with 6,06,80,517 accounts, while other states like West Bengal (5,18,88,115), Madhya Pradesh (4,38,81,099), Rajasthan (3,57,41,553), Maharashtra (3,54,81,136), and Odisha (2,19,54,863) also contribute significantly to the success of the Jan Dhan Yojana.

Uttar Pradesh not only leads in the number of accounts but also in the distribution of RuPay cards, with 6,24,23,540 cardholders, the highest in the country. In the financial year 2023-24 alone, the state opened around 65 lakh new Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan accounts, with Aadhaar seeding completed for more than 91 per cent of them.

Launched as a national mission, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has transformed financial inclusion in India over the past decade. The scheme ensures that every family has access to essential banking services, including at least one basic banking account, financial literacy, loans, insurance, and pension facilities. Beneficiaries are also provided with a RuPay debit card, which comes with an accident insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh.

One of the most significant aspects of PMJDY is the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism, which channels all financial benefits from the government — be it from the Centre, State, or Local Bodies — directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. This system has ensured that beneficiaries receive 100 per cent of the financial aid intended for them, thereby minimising leakages and effectively curbing corruption.