Page 35 - NIS English 16-31 August 2025

11 years of PM Jan Dhan | NATION

Jan Dhan: A Catalyst

OF
Socio-Economic Transformation

Every country’s development journey
has such historical moments, which are
milestones in their history and become
the foundation of a golden future for
them. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan
Yojana, which aims to provide every
family in the nation with at least one
bank account, was announced by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi in his first
Independence Day speech on August 15,
2014, marking a significant milestone in
the development process that involved
building a New India with a pragmatic
approach. Its goal to empower the
individual at the bottom of the economic
ladder with last-mile delivery and reap
the rewards of the nation’s progress
turned true. With over 56 crore bank
accounts, the largest financial inclusion
programme in the world is celebrating 11
years of achievement....

or more than six decades after Inde-
pendence, more than 65 per cent of the
country’s population neither had bank
Faccounts nor any connection with the
banking system. These people were forced to
fall into the clutches of moneylenders to fulfil
their financial needs. Government schemes
were made, but their benefits did not reach
such people. How to include them in the
mainstream of the country’s development?
The vision behind Antyodaya proved to be
the answer to this question. Pradhan Mantri
Jan Dhan Yojana ( PMJDY) was launched on 28
August 2014 as the world’s biggest initiative
towards achieving this vision. It was started
by adding a zero-balance account and a free

August 16-31, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 33