Uttarakhand CM Dhami hails 11 years of Jan Dhan Yojana, calls it cornerstone of financial inclusion

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday marked the completion of 11 years of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), crediting the scheme for accelerating India’s economic progress and expanding financial inclusion to crores of citizens.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister said, "The visionary foresight and resolve of the Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji laid the foundation for a transformation 11 years ago, which gave a new direction to India's economic progress. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, launched 11 years ago, connected crores of citizens to the financial system and laid the cornerstone of an empowered India."

Dhami noted the unprecedented scale of the initiative, adding, "Today, through more than 56 crore Jan Dhan accounts, the work of empowering citizens with self-reliance, connecting villages to the economic mainstream, and achieving financial inclusion is unprecedented."

The Chief Minister also underlined the scheme’s wider impact, saying, "This is not just a scheme, but a historic initiative that gives wings to the dreams of crores of people."

Launched on August 28, 2014, PMJDY was rolled out as a National Mission for Financial Inclusion, aiming to provide every unbanked adult with access to a bank account, credit, insurance, and pensions.

According to official data, more than 56.16 crore accounts have been opened under the scheme as of mid-August 2025, with deposits crossing Rs 2.67 lakh crore. Of these, 56% are held by women, reflecting its role in promoting financial access for women. Nearly 67% of accounts are in rural and semi-urban areas, while the remaining 33% are in urban centres.

Officials also pointed out that PMJDY has become the backbone of direct benefit transfers, enabling subsidies under 327 government schemes while reducing leakages and middlemen. Accounts have grown from 14.72 crore in 2015 to over 56 crore in a decade, strengthening India’s financial inclusion framework.