NEW DELHI — The Government of India has released crucial data regarding the operational status of bank accounts opened under its flagship financial inclusion scheme. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary officially stated that approximately 15.09 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts are currently inoperative. This figure represents about 26 percent of the total 57.07 crore Jan Dhan accounts across the country. The Minister provided these details in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Jan Dhan Accounts: Understanding the Scope of Inactivity
Minister Chaudhary clarified the scale of the issue. Out of the total 57.07 crore accounts opened to bring the unbanked into the financial system, a significant portion remains dormant. Banks classify an account as ‘inoperative’ if it sees no customer-induced transactions for over two years. However, the government does not centrally maintain specific data regarding the gender or rural-urban distribution of these closed accounts. This clarification highlights the need for continued financial literacy efforts to encourage regular account usage among beneficiaries.
Financial Inclusion Beyond Basic Accounts
The Minister also shared robust data on other financial inclusion initiatives. Furthermore, he updated the House on the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme. As of September 30, 2025, banks manage a total of 7.81 crore KCC accounts. These accounts hold a massive outstanding amount of ₹10.39 lakh crore. Specifically, public sector banks (PSBs) handle 2.22 crore of these accounts, managing an outstanding sum of ₹4.19 lakh crore. This data confirms the banking sector’s deep penetration into the agricultural economy.
Progress in Credit and Digital Payments
Chaudhary also highlighted the success of credit schemes for entrepreneurs. Under the Stand-up India Scheme, banks have sanctioned 2.75 lakh loans. These loans amount to ₹62,791 crore. Public sector banks sanctioned a major chunk of this, approving 2.28 lakh loans worth ₹51,191 crore. Additionally, the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana continues to support small businesses. Banks have disbursed ₹2.54 lakh crore till October in the current financial year (2025-26).
Finally, the Minister cited global recognition for India’s digital prowess. He noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently recognised the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The IMF report identifies UPI as the world’s largest retail fast-payment system by transaction volume. Moreover, an ACI Worldwide report attributes a 49 percent share of global real-time payment volume to UPI. This underscores India’s dominance in the global digital payment landscape.
About the Author
