Centre plans banking camps across 2.70 lakh gram panchayats and urban bodies for Jan Dhan, pensions and insurance

Bank representative assisting a woman with paperwork at a community banking camp, representing Jan Dhan financial inclusion services in rural India.
The Centre's nationwide financial inclusion campaign targets 2.70 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies, offering access to Jan Dhan accounts, insurance, pensions, KYC updates and agricultural banking services. Representative Image

New Delhi, October 20, 2026: The Central Government will launch a nationwide financial inclusion campaign on October 21, with banks scheduled to organise camps covering 2.70 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies. The camps will help citizens open Jan Dhan accounts, enrol in government-backed insurance and pension schemes, update banking records and access agricultural financial services.

The campaign, organised by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance, will run until December 31, 2026. It aims to expand access to formal banking and financial services, particularly among eligible individuals who have not yet enrolled in government schemes.

According to a ministry announcement issued on October 19, the camps will provide enrolment facilities for the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY).

These schemes provide eligible individuals with access to life insurance, accident insurance and pension benefits, respectively, subject to their applicable terms and conditions.

Banks will also facilitate the opening of accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), which aims to expand access to formal banking services.

Existing customers will be able to complete re-KYC procedures for Jan Dhan and other savings accounts, allowing banks to verify and update their identification details.

The camps will also support Aadhaar linking for PMJJBY and PMSBY, the generation of Central Know Your Customer (C-KYC) identification numbers where pending, and updates to nominee details for savings accounts and bank lockers.

These services will help customers address pending documentation requirements and keep their banking records up to date.

Agricultural financial services will also be available, with banks collecting Kisan Credit Card (KCC) applications to improve coverage among eligible beneficiaries of the PM-Kisan programme.

However, submitting a KCC application does not guarantee approval or credit disbursement. Applications will remain subject to the applicable eligibility requirements and banking procedures.

The camps will also facilitate enrolment under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for the upcoming Rabi season, with particular attention to eligible KCC account holders.

Crop insurance enrolment will remain subject to the scheme’s eligibility conditions and procedures.

Alongside these services, banks will organise awareness activities to educate citizens about digital fraud, government financial inclusion schemes and unclaimed financial assets.

The campaign will include information about the ‘Aapki Poonji, Aapka Adhikar’ initiative, which focuses on raising awareness about unclaimed financial assets.

According to the ministry, a preparatory meeting was held on October 19 under the chairmanship of the Joint Secretary for Financial Inclusion at the Department of Financial Services. Senior bank officials and representatives of State Level Bankers’ Committees participated in the meeting.

The campaign’s progress will be monitored by state administrations, participating banks and the Department of Financial Services.

The announced coverage of 2.70 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies represents the campaign’s targeted geographical reach. It does not mean that 2.70 lakh individual camps have already been held or that each village will host a separate camp.

The ministry has not disclosed a separate campaign budget, a district-wise camp schedule or a target for the number of beneficiaries expected to enrol.

The campaign is scheduled to begin on October 21 and continue through December 31, providing citizens with opportunities to access banking, insurance, pension, KYC and agricultural financial services through locally organised camps.

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