Latest News | Govt Launches over 200 Schemes for Poor over Last 10 Years: MoS Harsh Malhotra
Get latest articles and stories on Latest News at LatestLY. The Narendra Modi-led government has launched more than 200 schemes for the poor over the last 10 years, Minister of State for Road, Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra said on Friday.
New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) The Narendra Modi-led government has launched more than 200 schemes for the poor over the last 10 years, Minister of State for Road, Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra said on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference, Malhotra said Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has addressed the poor's biggest problem by bringing them into the banking ecosystem.
"At present, there are more than 54 crore accounts, with a total deposit balance of approximately Rs 2.39 lakh crore - an increase of over 15 times since its inception," he added.
The minister said the scheme has been particularly successful in rural, semi-urban areas and among women, with around 66 per cent of accounts coming from these regions.
Furthermore, he said 37.02 crore RuPay cards have been issued to PMJDY account holders, with the average deposit per account rising significantly.
According to him, the average deposit in the Jan Dhan Accounts as of August 14, 2024, was Rs 4,352.
"The government has fought against poverty on all fronts and consequently, 25 crore have come out of poverty in the last 10 years," he noted.
Malhotra pointed out that Delhi alone has 65 lakh PM Jan Dhan Accounts with a total deposit of Rs 3,114 crore, along with 50 lakh beneficiaries of RuPAY Cards.
The minister also emphasised that the success of PMJDY and JAM Trinity has brought greater financial inclusion, empowering citizens with access to banking services while promoting transparency and curbing corruption.
He said as of November 30, 2024, approximately 36 crore Ayushman cards have been created across the country, and a total of around 29,929 hospitals are empanelled under the scheme, including 13,222 private hospitals.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)