PolicyBanking
Bank camps open in 2.7 lakh panchayats and towns for Jan Dhan, insurance and re-KYC
The Finance Ministry's saturation drive, which began on Wednesday and runs until 31 December, also targets unclaimed deposits and Kisan Credit Cards ahead of the rabi season.
Key points
- Banks are holding camps across 2.70 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies until 31 December.
- People can open Jan Dhan accounts, enrol in insurance and pension schemes and complete re-KYC at the camps.
- The drive also pushes Kisan Credit Cards and crop insurance for PM-Kisan beneficiaries before the rabi season.
Banks began holding camps in 2.70 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies on Wednesday, as the Finance Ministry opened a drive to bring every eligible person into its main financial inclusion schemes.
The Saturation Campaign of Financial Inclusion Schemes, organised by the ministry’s Department of Financial Services, runs until 31 December. The ministry said it reflected the government’s commitment to “empowering citizens at the last mile” and to bringing the unbanked into the formal financial system.
What the camps offer
At the camps, people can open zero-balance savings accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and enrol in the two low-cost insurance schemes, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, as well as the Atal Pension Yojana. Bank staff will seed Aadhaar to insurance enrolments, carry out re-KYC on existing Jan Dhan and other savings accounts, generate central KYC numbers where they are pending, and update nominees for savings accounts and lockers.
There will also be awareness sessions on unclaimed money in banks and other financial assets, under the theme “Aapki Poonji, Aapka Adhikar” (your money, your right), and on digital fraud.
A push for farm credit
The camps carry a farm component timed for the rabi sowing season. Banks are to collect Kisan Credit Card applications so that every eligible PM-Kisan beneficiary is covered, and to enrol farmers in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana crop insurance scheme alongside.
The ministry has not given targets for enrolments or the number of camps to be held.