Centre launches financial inclusion saturation drive across 270,000 villages, towns

New Delhi: In yet another effort to expand the reach of the government’s financial inclusion schemes across the country, the Department of Financial Services under the finance ministry has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at achieving saturation at the gram panchayat (GP) and urban local body (ULB) level.

The campaign, which will run from 1 July to 30 September, aims to cover all 270,000 GPs and ULBs in India. It seeks to spread awareness about the banking services available to citizens and explain how individuals can secure their financial future and that of their family members.

According to a statement from the finance ministry, launch events for the financial inclusion (FI) campaign were organised at 33 locations across the country. These events saw participation from public representatives, state government officials, SLBC conveners, bankers, and beneficiaries. In Gujarat, the Chief Minister addressed the event virtually.

During this three-month period, the campaign will focus on ensuring that Re-KYC of all savings bank account holders, wherever due, is completed in the targeted villages and towns.

Another key objective is to open bank accounts for unbanked adults under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). The campaign will also promote enrolment in key government-backed social security schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), and the Atal Pension Yojana (APY).

Alongside these efforts, the campaign will educate citizens through awareness sessions on digital fraud prevention, explain how to access unclaimed deposits, and guide people through grievance redressal procedures. Officials will also assist in updating nominations in bank accounts wherever they are pending.

On the first day of the campaign, camps were conducted in 2,087 gram panchayats across the country. These received a strong response from beneficiaries, reflecting growing public interest in financial services and awareness.

The push to broaden the reach of financial inclusion schemes comes in the wake of a finance ministry review that found private banks still lag behind in servicing these schemes. Following this, the ministry has urged both private and public sector banks to step up their efforts in improving coverage and service delivery.

In addition to PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY and APY, the broader campaign also seeks to raise awareness about other financial inclusion programmes, including the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Stand Up India, PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), and PM Vishwakarma.

During a review meeting held on Monday, financial services secretary M. Nagaraju underscored the importance of fast settlement of claims under the Jansuraksha schemes. He also emphasised the need to expand banking infrastructure in rural and northeastern regions and noted the significant progress India has made in strengthening social security and deepening financial inclusion through the government’s flagship initiatives.