New Delhi, Sep 7: The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has expanded access to banking services across the country, with more than 59 crore accounts holding over ₹3.15 lakh crore. At the same time, a large number of accounts remain inactive or have no money in them, showing that financial inclusion still has challenges to overcome.
According to Finance Ministry data provided in response to an RTI application, 59.03 crore Jan Dhan accounts were in operation as of August 12, 2026. Together, these accounts held around ₹3.15 lakh crore.
However, more than 15.36 crore accounts were classified as inoperative. This means nearly one in every four Jan Dhan accounts was not being actively used. Another 5.72 crore accounts had no balance.
Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of Jan Dhan accounts at 10.51 crore, followed by Bihar with 7.01 crore and West Bengal with 5.73 crore. Uttar Pradesh also had the largest number of zero-balance and inoperative accounts.
Launched in 2014, the Jan Dhan scheme was designed to bring people who had limited access to banking into the formal financial system. The accounts have helped expand access to savings, government benefit payments, insurance and other financial services.
Women account holders make up a significant part of the programme. Around 32.89 crore accounts were held by women, while 26.14 crore were held by men.
The latest figures also highlight a key issue for financial inclusion. Simply opening a bank account does not guarantee that people will use it regularly. Active accounts are important for building savings, receiving government benefits and making everyday financial transactions.
Better banking access in rural areas, greater financial awareness and wider use of digital payments could encourage more people to use their Jan Dhan accounts regularly. Direct transfers of government benefits into these accounts can also help keep them active.
The Jan Dhan scheme has brought millions of people into formal banking, but the next step is to make these accounts more useful in everyday life. Ensuring regular transactions and continued access to financial services will be important for achieving deeper financial inclusion.