According to figures from the Ministry of Finance, about 4 crore bank accounts have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) scheme since its introduction in August 2014.
What is the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and how does it work?
Contents
PMJDY is a government-sponsored scheme that aims to provide financial inclusion for everyone in India who does not have a bank account. This scheme intends to provide all people with inexpensive access to financial services such as banking, savings and deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, and pensions.
Who is the provider of this plan?
Individuals can open a bank account or a Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) account under this scheme at any bank branch or Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) outlet. In addition, accounts formed under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana might have a zero balance.
- If the account user wants a checkbook, however, he or she must meet certain minimum balance requirements.
- This initiative will provide account holders with a RuPay debit card that can be used to withdraw cash from any ATM.
What documents are required to open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana account?
An account can be started under this method by producing a legally authorised document.
- The identity card,
- The permit to drive,
- The Permanent Account Number (PAN) Card is a document that identifies an individual’s financial account.
- The Election Commission of India has issued a voter’s ID.
- The Aadhar Card; and any other document that the Central Government has notified in collaboration with the Regulator
The following documents shall be recognised to be officially legitimate documents where simplified methods are used to verify the identification of the clients:—
- Central/State Government Departments, Statutory/Regulatory Authorities, etc., issue identity cards featuring the applicant’s photograph.
- A letter signed by a Gazetted Officer and accompanied by a photograph of the person that has been duly attested.
- If your current address changes, you must provide appropriate paperwork to have your account transferred to the new address.
- A total of two passport-size photos are required.
If a person does not have a valid residence address, he or she must produce a valid government of India identity verification.
It’s worth noting that in 2014, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) confirmed that anyone without any of the “officially legitimate documents” can create “Small Accounts” with banks.
A person can open a “Small Account” by submitting a self-attested photograph and signing his or her name or thumbprint in the presence of bank personnel. For such accounts, aggregate credits have been limited to Rs 1 lakh per year, aggregate withdrawals have been limited to Rs 10,000 per month, and the account balance at any moment in time should not exceed Rs 50,000.
These accounts have a one-year validity period, after which they can be extended for another twelve months if the account holder presents documentation demonstrating that he or she applied for any of the Officially Valid Documents within the first year after opening the small account.
What are the advantages of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana ?
- Benefits of Insurance
Account-holders will receive a Rs 1 lakh accidental insurance cover (increased to Rs 2 lakh for new accounts registered after 28.08.2012) and a Rs 30,000 life cover (if the account is opened between 15.8.2014 and 31.1.2015) – payout on the death of the beneficiary (subject to conditions).
- Advantages of a Loan
This scheme allows account holders to take out an overdraft of up to Rs 10,000. This is only valid for one account per household. The loan amount may appear tiny, but it is a huge help to those living in poverty because it allows them to reinvest in more successful ventures.
- Mobile Banking Services:
Having the ability to conduct transactions using a mobile phone allows account users to check their balances and transfer funds across India with ease. Other advantages include:
- On their deposits, account holders would be entitled for interest.
- They are not required to maintain a minimum account balance.
- For recipients of government schemes, the scheme provides for Direct Benefit Transfer.
- The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana give account holders convenient access to pension and other insurance products.
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