Direct answer. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana is India's financial-inclusion scheme — every Indian (10+) with Aadhaar can open a zero-balance bank account at any branch, any day, in 30 minutes. Comes with a free RuPay debit card, ₹2 lakh accident cover, overdraft eligibility up to ₹10,000, and direct DBT enrolment. 53+ crore accounts opened (largest in the world). ₹0 application cost.

• Walk into any PSU bank, private bank, or RRB with Aadhaar.
• 30-minute account opening, zero minimum balance.
• Free RuPay Debit Card — physical card delivered in 7–10 days.
• ₹2 lakh accident cover (PMJDY-RuPay).
• ₹10,000 overdraft eligibility after 6 months of regular operation.
• Direct DBT credit for all eligible schemes.
• Helpline: 1800-11-0001 (toll-free, 24×7).

PMJDY launched on 28 August 2014 under Department of Financial Services. Goals: every Indian household with at least one bank account, financial literacy, credit access, insurance, pension. Phase 2.0 (since 2018) added overdraft expansion and more insurance benefits.

• Zero-balance — no minimum balance, no penalty.
• RuPay Debit Card — free, accepted everywhere ATMs work.
• ₹2 lakh accident insurance — automatic with RuPay card use within 90 days.
• ₹10,000 overdraft — short-term emergency credit (after 6 months regular use).
• PMJJBY ₹2 lakh life cover — opt-in at ₹436/year.
• PMSBY ₹2 lakh accident cover — opt-in at ₹20/year.
• DBT-ready — auto-routes scheme money (LPG subsidy, MGNREGA wages, scholarships, PMAY).
• Mobile banking, internet banking, UPI — all enabled.

1. Aadhaar card (mandatory, mobile-linked preferred)
2. OR PAN card + 1 OVD (Officially Valid Document — Voter ID, DL, Passport)
3. Photograph — passport-size
4. Address proof (Aadhaar address used by default)

If you have no documents at all: open a “Small Account” with self-declaration + photograph. Limit ₹50k/year credit, ₹10k/month withdrawal — convertible to full account once you produce ID.

1. Visit any PSU/private/RRB bank branch.
2. Ask for “Jan Dhan Yojana” form OR fill regular savings form selecting “Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (BSBDA)”.
3. Submit Aadhaar + photo. Officer scans → eKYC.
4. Account number issued same day, passbook in 5–7 days.
5. RuPay Debit Card delivered to address in 7–10 days. PIN sent separately.
6. Aadhaar–bank seeding mandatory for DBT — ask officer to do at the same visit.
7. Activate UPI: download bank's app or BHIM, link account.

• Not asking for Jan Dhan specifically — branches sometimes default to regular savings (which has minimum balance). Insist on PMJDY/BSBDA.
• No Aadhaar–bank seeding — DBT silent failure.
• RuPay card unused 90+ days — loses accident cover. Use at least once per quarter.
• Multiple Jan Dhan accounts — only one allowed per person. Earlier accounts deactivated.
• Overdraft application before 6 months — banks reject. Wait the full window + use account regularly.

• PMJDY 2.0 continues — overdraft limit being raised to ₹15,000 in select states.
• Account dormancy — banks now require annual KYC re-confirmation via Aadhaar OTP (free, online).
• Cross-border UPI — Jan Dhan accounts now usable in UAE, Singapore, France via UPI International.
• Jan Suraksha + Jan Dhan integration — PMSBY + PMJJBY auto-offered at account opening.

Yes — visit branch with passbook + ID, fill closure form. No fee. Outstanding balance refunded.

Same tax rules as any savings account — interest above ₹10,000/year is taxable. Most Jan Dhan accounts have low balance and don't trigger.

Common reasons: less than 6 months operation, irregular transactions, not Aadhaar-seeded, existing loan default. File RTI to bank for grounds + reapply.

Not automatically. Ayushman Bharat eligibility is based on SECC 2011 + Awas+ (rural) and 70+ age (universal). Check at beneficiary.nha.gov.in.

Yes — most PSU banks allow cash deposit at any branch. Some impose ₹0–50 fee at non-home branches above ₹50k cumulative monthly.

• Atal Pension Yojana — pension after 60 (₹1k–5k/month)
• PM Mudra — small business loan up to ₹20 lakh
• e-Shram — universal worker registration
• Ayushman Bharat — ₹5 lakh hospital cover
• PMAY 2.0 — house subsidy
• 💰 All financial schemes

• PM Jan Dhan Yojana — official
• Department of Financial Services
• NPCI — RuPay
• Helpline: 1800-11-0001

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Last reviewed: 3 May 2026.