Jan Dhan deposits surge 12.8 times to Rs 3.17 lakh crore in 12 years

Deposits in bank accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) have surged 12.8 times over the past 12 years to Rs 3.17 lakh crore, highlighting the growing use of the government’s flagship financial inclusion programme beyond simply providing access to bank accounts.

As PMJDY completed 12 years on Friday, official data showed that 59.09 crore accounts had been opened under the scheme as of August 19, 2026. Together, these accounts held deposits worth Rs 3,16,514 crore. The number of accounts has increased 2.3 times over the past 12 years, while deposits have grown much faster, according to the Finance Ministry. The government said the increase indicates greater engagement with formal banking and stronger saving habits among beneficiaries.

Launched on August 28, 2014, PMJDY was conceived as a national mission to bring people previously outside the banking network into the formal financial system.

Average balance rises sharply

The average deposit in a Jan Dhan account has also increased substantially. It stood at Rs 5,356 as of August 19, up 3.4 times over the past 12 years. The rise assumes significance because one of the challenges in the initial years of the programme was ensuring that newly opened accounts were actively used rather than remaining dormant.

The scheme allows an unbanked person to open a basic savings bank account without having to maintain a minimum balance. Over time, its scope has expanded beyond banking access to include digital payments, credit, insurance, pensions and direct transfer of government benefits. The Finance Ministry said the increase in average balances reflected greater usage of accounts and the development of saving habits among account holders.

Women hold majority of accounts

Women constitute the majority of Jan Dhan account holders. Of the 59.09 crore accounts, 32.92 crore, or about 55.7 per cent, are held by women.

The scheme also retains a strong rural footprint. Around 45.95 crore accounts, representing 77.8 per cent of the total, are located in rural and semi-urban areas. The remaining 13.14 crore accounts are in urban and metropolitan centres.

The figures underline PMJDY’s reach among sections of the population that historically had relatively limited access to formal financial services.

Public sector banks account for the largest share of the programme, followed by regional rural banks, private sector lenders and rural cooperative banks.

Over 41 crore RuPay cards issued

Digital banking has become another major component of the programme. As of August 19, banks had issued 41.29 crore RuPay debit cards to Jan Dhan account holders.

The cards allow beneficiaries to access ATMs and make digital transactions while also providing eligible account holders with accident insurance cover.

Jan Dhan accounts are also linked with other financial security initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana.

Eligible account holders can also access an overdraft facility of up to Rs 10,000, while their formal banking history can help improve access to credit, including loans under the MUDRA programme.

JAM expands welfare delivery

PMJDY has become a central component of the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile, or JAM, architecture used by the government to transfer welfare benefits directly to beneficiaries.

By linking bank accounts with Aadhaar identification and mobile connectivity, the system allows subsidies and other benefits to be credited directly to eligible recipients rather than passing through multiple intermediaries.

The expansion of Jan Dhan has consequently provided the banking backbone for the government’s Direct Benefit Transfer framework while simultaneously widening access to savings and digital financial services.

From 14.72 crore accounts in 2015, the programme has expanded to more than 59 crore accounts today. As PMJDY enters its 13th year, the focus is increasingly shifting from simply providing access to a bank account towards ensuring that beneficiaries actively use formal banking, savings, credit, insurance and digital payment services.