According to information obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request, every fourth account under the PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) program is inactive, with approximately 5.72 crore accounts having a zero balance. This data came to light thanks to the activist's query.
The Ministry of Finance, through the Department of Financial Services, responded to the RTI that as of August 12, 2026, over 59 crore accounts had been opened under PMJDY, with more than 3.15 lakh crore rupees deposited into them. In total across the country, 590.37 crore PMJDY accounts are registered, accumulating 3.15 lakh crore rupees.
Of the total number of accounts, 32.89 crore belonged to women (including transgender account holders), and 26.14 crore belonged to men. Statistics showed that 5.72 crore accounts had a zero balance, while 15.36 crore accounts were deemed inactive. The PMJDY program was launched in August 2014 as a national mission for financial inclusion, aiming to ensure universal access to banking services, financial literacy, and social security for all households in the country.
Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of PMJDY accounts with a zero balance (95.92 lakh), followed by Bihar (62.35 lakh), West Bengal (37.20 lakh), Assam (36.30 lakh), and Maharashtra (36.04 lakh). Regarding inactive PMJDY accounts, Uttar Pradesh has the largest number (3.23 crore), followed by Bihar (1.59 crore), Madhya Pradesh (1.35 crore), West Bengal (1.02 crore), and Maharashtra (97.94 lakh).
The total number of PMJDY accounts in Uttar Pradesh was the highest at 10.51 crore, followed by Bihar with 7.01 crore, West Bengal with 5.73 crore, Rajasthan with 3.87 crore, and Maharashtra with 3.85 crore.
The response to the RTI dated September 1 indicated that the central government does not maintain detailed gender-wise information on balances, zero-balance accounts, and non-operational PMJDY accounts at the central level. Information on accounts with balances less than 100 rupees, closed accounts from the last five years, and accounts blocked or frozen due to suspicious transactions or cyber fraud is also not stored. The data provided with the RTI response covered 36 states and territories.