Over 5.7 Crore Accounts Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana Show Zero Balance
An alarming report reveals that one in every four accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is currently inactive. A recent Right to Information (RTI) query has highlighted that nearly 5.72 crore accounts hold no money at all.
As of August 12, 2026, the PMJDY, which is focused on promoting financial inclusion in India, boasts over 59 crore accounts with a total balance exceeding Rs 3.15 lakh crore. This insight was shared by the Department of Financial Services, responding to RTI activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur. The total number of PMJDY accounts stands at 59,03,74,907, with an impressive collective balance of Rs 3,15,179.90 crore.
The gender distribution of these accounts shows that approximately 32.89 crore accounts are held by women, including transgender individuals, while about 26.14 crore accounts belong to men. However, the data also reveals troubling figures: 5,72,35,490 accounts have no balance, and 15,36,77,009 accounts are labeled as inactive.
Established in August 2014, the PMJDY aims to secure financial inclusion for all households in India, ensuring that every family has access to banking services. This initiative also stresses the importance of financial literacy and offers social security benefits.
Uttar Pradesh Leads with High Numbers of Zero-Balance Accounts
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh reports the highest count of zero-balance accounts, totaling 95.92 lakh. It is followed by Bihar with 62.35 lakh, West Bengal with 37.20 lakh, Assam with 36.30 lakh, and Maharashtra with 36.04 lakh.
The states with the largest numbers of inactive PMJDY accounts also include Uttar Pradesh (3.23 crore), Bihar (1.59 crore), Madhya Pradesh (1.35 crore), West Bengal (1.02 crore), and Maharashtra (97.94 lakh). Notably, Uttar Pradesh leads overall with 10.51 crore PMJDY accounts, followed by Bihar with 7.01 crore, West Bengal with 5.73 crore, Rajasthan with 3.87 crore, and Maharashtra with 3.85 crore.
Despite these large figures, the RTI response also stated that the central government does not maintain a comprehensive record of account balances broken down by gender, nor information regarding low-balance accounts, accounts closed in the last five years, or accounts frozen due to unusual activities. The data shared covers a total of 36 states and Union Territories.
