Key Developments
The latest RTI reply dated 1 September 2026 reveals that a substantial share of accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) are either dormant or hold no money.
- Out of 59.03 crore PMJDY accounts, 15.37 million are classified as inoperative accounts, i.e., roughly one in four accounts.
- 5.72 crore accounts have a zero‑balance, meaning they hold no funds at all.
- The total balance across all accounts stands at ₹3,15,179.90 crore as of 12 August 2026.
Important Facts
The gender distribution shows 32.89 crore accounts held by women (including transgender holders) and 26.14 crore by men. State‑wise, Uttar Pradesh tops both the number of zero‑balance accounts (95.92 lakh) and inoperative accounts (3.23 crore). Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra follow in the inoperative list.
The Department of Financial Services (DFS) confirmed that gender‑wise bifurcation of balances, zero‑balance and inoperative accounts is not maintained centrally. Data on accounts with balances below ₹100, closed accounts in the last five years, or those blocked for suspicious activity are also absent from a central repository.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the performance of financial inclusion schemes is crucial for GS‑III (Economy) and GS‑II (Governance). The figures highlight implementation gaps, gender‑related access issues, and data‑management challenges that can be asked in answer‑writing or interview scenarios.
Way Forward
- Introduce a robust mechanism for periodic account activity monitoring to convert dormant accounts into active ones.
- Maintain a centralized, gender‑wise database of balances to assess the impact of inclusion on women.
- Link zero‑balance accounts with government benefit schemes to encourage usage.
- Strengthen data‑sharing between banks and the DFS for better oversight.
- Leverage digital literacy drives, especially in high‑density states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to reduce inactivity.
Addressing these issues will improve the effectiveness of the PMJDY, align with the government's financial democracy goals, and provide a stronger foundation for inclusive growth.