India has achieved near-universal banking coverage, with 99.92 per cent of the country’s inhabited villages now having access to a banking outlet within a five-kilometre radius, according to information shared by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The Minister said that 6,00,868 out of 6,01,328 inhabited villages are now served by a bank branch, Business Correspondent (BC) or India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) outlet, based on data uploaded by banks on the Jan Dhan Darshak (JDD) App.
The nationwide banking network is supported by more than 1.81 lakh bank branches, 17.36 lakh Business Correspondents and 1.65 lakh India Post Payments Bank centres as of July 17, 2026, providing financial services across urban, rural and remote regions.
The Minister said its continued focus is to ensure that every inhabited village has access to a banking outlet within a five-kilometre radius. It added that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted commercial banks, small finance banks, payments banks, local area banks and regional rural banks to open branches anywhere in the country without prior approval, provided that at least 25 per cent of new branches are established in unbanked rural areas.
The expansion of banking services is monitored through State Level Bankers’ Committees (SLBCs) and Union Territory Level Bankers’ Committees (UTLBCs), which coordinate with state governments, banks and other stakeholders to identify uncovered areas and facilitate the opening of new banking outlets based on business viability and local requirements.
The Minister also highlighted the continued growth of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), under which 58.77 crore bank accounts have been opened across the country. These accounts collectively held deposits amounting to ₹3,12,414 crore as of July 17, 2026.
To improve access to institutional credit, particularly in agriculture, the government has introduced several digital initiatives. These include the Jan Samarth Portal, which serves as a unified platform for government-sponsored loan and subsidy schemes, enabling digital loan applications and quicker approvals.
Other technology-driven initiatives include NABARD’s e-KYC application, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s KRISHIKA platform and digital applications developed by banks to streamline beneficiary identification, loan processing and monitoring.
The Kisan Rin Portal (KRP), launched in September 2023, has further strengthened agricultural credit delivery by enabling Aadhaar-based beneficiary verification and faster digital settlement of claims under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme for Kisan Credit Card loans.
The Minister also outlined a series of measures being implemented in collaboration with the RBI to strengthen cybersecurity and protect customers from digital payment fraud.
Among the key initiatives is the establishment of the India Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC), which enables banks and financial institutions to share real-time fraud intelligence using technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analytics.
The RBI has also issued comprehensive Master Directions on Digital Payment Security Controls, requiring banks to implement minimum security standards across internet banking, mobile banking and card payment channels.
To detect fraudulent transactions, the central bank has introduced ‘MuleHunter’, an artificial intelligence-based tool designed to identify money mule accounts and assist banks in preventing financial crimes.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) continues to monitor digital lending applications and has provided citizens with the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and the 1930 cybercrime helpline for reporting cyber financial frauds and illegal lending activities.
In addition, the RBI and banks regularly conduct public awareness campaigns through SMS alerts, radio broadcasts and the Electronic Banking Awareness and Training (e-BAAT) programme to educate customers about safe digital banking practices and fraud prevention.
