Financial inclusion saturation drive from 21 October: DFS review
Why in the news
On 6 October 2026, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) held a review of flagship financial inclusion and credit schemes with banks in New Delhi and announced a nationwide saturation campaign.
Key facts
- Chair: DFS Secretary Sanjay Lohiya (Ministry of Finance) presided.
- Participants: heads of all public sector banks, executive directors of major private sector banks and senior DFS officials.
- Digital push: banks were asked to expand digital outreach and adopt end-to-end digital processing of loans.
- Insurance: banks should raise awareness of claim eligibility and enrol new beneficiaries via the Jan Suraksha Portal.
- Outreach: branch expansion and deployment of banking correspondents in unserved villages were also reviewed.
- Saturation campaign: 21 October to 31 December 2026, aimed at underserved groups.
Schemes reviewed
| Area | Schemes |
|---|---|
| Banking access | PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) |
| Social security | PMJJBY, PMSBY, Atal Pension Yojana (APY) |
| Credit | PM Mudra Yojana, Stand-Up India, PM SVANidhi, PM Vishwakarma, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) |
| Energy | PM Surya Ghar |
About DFS
The Department of Financial Services works under the Union Ministry of Finance. Besides scheme progress, the review looked at opening new bank branches and placing banking correspondents in villages that still lack banking services, so that the coming campaign can reach underserved people.
Exam angle
- Know the full forms: PMJJBY (life cover), PMSBY (accident cover), APY (pension).
- Remember the campaign window: 21 October to 31 December 2026.
- Jan Suraksha Portal is used to enrol beneficiaries in the social security schemes.