Government Banking Schemes – Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign: Rural Outreach Spurs Awareness
Lucknow – The Government of India’s Ministry of Finance is spearheading a Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign from July 1 to September 30, aimed at increasing awareness of financial services and schemes among rural citizens across the country. As part of this initiative, banks are conducting grassroots-level outreach to empower individuals with tools for financial literacy, security, and inclusion.
Addressing a joint press conference held on Tuesday by the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), Uttar Pradesh and the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Lucknow, Shailendra Kumar Singh, Zonal Head of Bank of Baroda and SLBC Convenor for Uttar Pradesh, shared key details about the campaign’s progress and objectives.
Digital Awareness in Rural India
Singh emphasized that the campaign not only promotes banking access but also raises awareness about cybersecurity and digital fraud. Citizens are being educated to avoid sharing OTPs, recognize phishing emails, and stay alert against scam calls. With the use of Artificial Intelligence, efforts are being made to curb fraud targeting rural populations.
“People are being made aware of threats like Money Mules—individuals whose bank accounts are misused to transfer illegally obtained funds,” Singh noted. He added that the campaign is also informing account holders about retrieving unclaimed deposits transferred to the RBI under the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF).
Massive Outreach Across Uttar Pradesh
Under this drive, banks are organizing at least one financial literacy and service camp in each of the 57,702 Gram Panchayats across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. These camps are enabling rural residents to:
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Open zero-balance accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
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Enroll in Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) for Rs 2 lakh life insurance with just Rs 436 annual premium
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Enroll in Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) for Rs 2 lakh accident insurance at Rs 20 annually
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Subscribe to Atal Pension Yojana (APY) with guaranteed monthly pensions between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000
Singh stressed that business correspondents (BCs) and bank representatives are instrumental in on-the-ground implementation, especially for those who had previously been excluded from the formal banking sector.
Progress So Far
As of March 31, 2025, the following milestones have been achieved in Uttar Pradesh:
- 9.81 crore accounts under PMJDY
- 7.17 crore enrollments in PMSBY
- 2.58 crore enrollments in PMJJBY
- 1.22 crore subscriptions under APY
Beyond Banking: A Push for Financial Empowerment
PIB Director Dileep Kumar Shukla and Bank of Baroda’s Deputy General Manager Nidhi Kumar also participated in the event, supporting the initiative’s broader vision.
Singh concluded by affirming that the campaign is not just about providing services—it’s about “ensuring financial empowerment, promoting digital security, and reinforcing the government’s commitment to an inclusive banking ecosystem.” The SLBC and participating banks aim to bridge the urban-rural divide and ensure that no eligible citizen is left out of India’s financial growth story.
This large-scale outreach underlines the transformative power of grassroots banking and reflects the Centre’s mission to strengthen financial inclusion as a key pillar of rural development.
