Banks to Hold Financial Inclusion Camps in Panchayats From Oct 21

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) in the Union Finance Ministry will run a nationwide financial inclusion campaign from October 21 to December 31, 2026, under which banks will hold camps at the level of gram panchayats and urban local bodies. The ministry said on Monday, October 19, that the drive will cover about 2.7 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies across the country.

Insurance, Pension and Jan Dhan Accounts at One Camp

At the camps, banks will enrol people in the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and the Atal Pension Yojana (APY). They will also open new Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts and seed Aadhaar for the two insurance schemes.

Account holders can complete re-KYC for Jan Dhan and other savings accounts, get a Central KYC (C-KYC) identifier where it is pending, and update nominations for savings accounts and lockers. Pending nominations often cause delays for families when they try to claim money after an account holder’s death.

Kisan Credit Cards Before the Rabi Season

The campaign will also collect Kisan Credit Card (KCC) applications from eligible PM-Kisan beneficiaries who do not yet have a card. Banks will enrol farmers in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the crop insurance scheme, ahead of the coming Rabi sowing season.

For small farmers, a KCC gives access to short-term crop loans at concessional rates, while crop insurance offers some protection if weather or pests damage the harvest.

Lessons on Digital Fraud and Unclaimed Money

Awareness sessions at the camps will cover government financial schemes, digital fraud, and the “Aapki Poonji, Aapka Adhikar” (Your Money, Your Right) drive, which helps people trace and claim unclaimed deposits and other financial assets.

A preparatory meeting with senior bank management and State Level Bankers’ Committees was held on Monday, chaired by the DFS Joint Secretary for financial inclusion. The ministry said state administrations, banks and the department will closely monitor progress.

The drive follows other recent steps in the banking sector, such as the RBI approval for Emirates NBD’s Indian branches to merge with RBL Bank. Residents can check with their local bank branch or panchayat office for camp dates in their area. More updates are on our Economy and Daily Updates pages.

Based on reporting by PIB (Ministry of Finance) and IANS via SocialNews.XYZ.

Image: IANS (file photo).