The Punjab Government has opened record 29, 17,334 accounts under Pardhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) for which different banks organised 23412 camps to cover the all uncovered household and to ensure 100 percent financial inclusion. With this extraordinary and unprecedented effort of the Punjab Government, the Punjab State has become 3rd state in the country which has completed the task of opening up of accounts of all the uncovered households under PMJDY.It was disclosed by Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Finance Minister Punjab while speaking at International Conference of the Economic Conclave held at Vigyan Bhawan Delhi.
Dhindsa said that one of the major thrusts of the Union Budget 2015-16 is 'Jan Dhan Yojna-Aadhar-Mobile Numbers' which is geared towards improving the quality of life of Indian. He said that ' Pardhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna' initiated on August 28 2014 was a comprehensive banking scheme to ensure bank accounts and several related benefits for all Indian households. By connecting with the Aadhar Numbers and Mobile Numbers of individuals, the governments aims at 'wiping every tear from every eye' by ensuring that all the benefits are passed directly to the common person's bank accounts and through other authenticated sources, thereby eliminating all intermediaries. He said that money transfers are planned to be executed in cashless mode. People living in hard to reach areas too have access to mobile phones due to growing penetration of technology. He said that leveraging this to communicate benefits directly to the common person is only going to integrate the economically disadvantaged into mainstream.
The Finance Minister Mr. Dhindsa further said that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna was launched in the state on August 28 2014 by Chief Minister Punjab. He said this scheme envisages accidental insurance of Rs. 1 lack, life insurance cover of Rs. 30 thousand, insurance of RuPay Debit Card to every account holder. He said that in order to cover 54,76,724 households in the state, a door to door was conducted by the banks with the help of state government in wards/sub service areas allocated to them, weekly video conferences with all Deputy Commissioners and Lead District Manager were held under the chairmanship of Mission Director, PMJDY to monitor the survey as well as opening of accounts. Mr. Dhindsa said that an amount of Rs. 2.16 crore has also been released to be provided as incentive to the BPL families who make their Aadhar Cards during the campaign and get their Aadhar Cards seeded in the Bank Account. He said that in the survey it was found that 45,73,463 households were already having bank accounts and 8,63,524 households were to be covered. He said all these uncovered households have now been covered and with this Punjab has become third state of the country which has covered all the remaining households under PMJDY.