Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written an email to all bank officers, referring to his Independence Day announcement of the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana - the National Mission on Financial Inclusion with the objective of covering all households in the country with banking facilities, and having a bank account for each household.
Describing the task as 'gigantic', the Prime Minister said, "We need to enroll over 7 crore households and open their accounts. This is a national priority and we must rise to meet this challenge. There is an urgency to this exercise as all other development activities are hindered by this single disability. I am sure we will overcome this situation collectively."
"Put your shoulder to the wheel and try your level best to ensure that no one is left without a bank account. This itself will be a source of immense satisfaction for you and your teams. I will myself recognize the achievements of the best performing branches," he has urged the bank officers.
He further said the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana lies at the core of our development philosophy of 'Sab Ka Sath Sab Ka Vikas'.
"As we move rapidly forward in this knowledge era with modern banking and financial systems, it is untenable that a large majority of our population is deprived of basic banking facilities. I sometimes wonder whether we have made matters so complicated that the poor and the marginalized are those who are trapped in a perpetual cycle of exclusion and deprivation," said Prime Minister Modi.
"We need to break that cycle and the Jan Dhan Yojana is the first step in that direction. With a bank account, every household gains access to banking and credit facilities. This will enable them to come out of the grip of moneylenders, manage to keep away from financial crises caused by emergent needs, and most importantly, benefit from a range of financial products," he added.
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As a first step, under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, every account holder gets a RuPay debit card with Rs 1, 00,000 accident cover.
"As we go along, they will be covered by insurance and pension products," the Prime Minister said.
"I am confident that you will rise to the occasion and contribute to this national endeavour in significant measure. I am there to support you," he added.
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana will be launched on August 28 this year across the nation simultaneously.
The Prime Minister will launch it formally in the national capital, with parallel functions at the state level which will be attended by Union Ministers, and also at district and sub-district levels. Camps are also to be organized at the branch level.