New Delhi, Aug 28: The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 28th August 2014, now marks 11 years of transformative impact in India’s financial landscape. As the world’s largest financial inclusion initiative, PMJDY continues to redefine access to banking for millions of underserved citizens.On this occasion, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, in a message, said, “Financial inclusion is a key driver of economic growth and development. Universal access to bank accounts enables the poor and marginalised to participate fully in the formal economy and benefit from its opportunities.”“PMJDY has been one of the major channels for delivering benefits under various schemes using Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), providing credit facilities, social security, and enhancing savings and investments,” the Union Finance Minister said.“Over the last 11 years, more than 56 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened, garnering a total deposit balance of Rs. 2.68 lakh crore. More than 38 crore free-of-cost RuPay cards have been issued, facilitating digital transactions,” Sitharaman said.“It is noteworthy that under PMJDY, 67% of the accounts are opened in rural or semi-urban areas, and 56% of the accounts are opened by women, indicating how underprivileged individuals living in far-flung areas of the country have been brought into the formal financial sector,” the Union Finance Minister said.In his message on the occasion, Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, said, “PMJDY has been one of the most successful financial inclusion initiatives not only in the country but in the whole world. The Jan Dhan Yojana is about dignity, empowerment and opportunity.”“The Prime Minister, in his 2021 Independence Day speech, announced that every household should have a bank account and every adult should have insurance and pension coverage. With the continuous efforts in this direction through various saturation drives carried out across the country, we have achieved near saturation in bank accounts and there has been continuous increase in insurance and pension coverage across the country,” Pankaj Chaudhary said.