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PMJDY emerging a gigantic problem

Kashmir Times. Dated: 8/12/2017 11:09:55 AM

Dear Editor,
The Prime Minister of India launched Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) Scheme for the poor people to open their bank accounts with zero balance assuring them that in return they were offered numerous incentives like accidental or natural death insurance coverage against their bank accounts opened under the PMJDY. The all and sundry people thus rushed to the banks to open their accounts under this scheme.
It is reported that by January 14, 2017 there were 28.9 crore bank accounts under this scheme with zero balance opened by the people. It is reported further that after opening bank accounts many people could not put any money in these accounts and up to October 2016 there were 5.93 crore bank accounts under this scheme with zero balance.
After the demonetization of high value currency notes of Rs. 1000 and Rs. 500 denomination this number rose to 6.90 crore i.e. within a short period of five months the number of bank accounts with zero balance rose by one crore which indicates that about one crore more people had with drawn total amount out of these bank accounts again leaving zero balance in their bank accounts.
The bank authorities have reportedly told the govt. in clear cut terms that they will not be able to continue to keep open the bank accounts with zero balance as an amount of Rs. 140 is spent for the maintenance of each bank account. So they were of the opinion that better it is to close all such bank accounts with zero balance.
This problem is therefore, becoming critical day by day instead of giving some relief to the poor people who were lured to open their bank accounts with zero balance hoping to obtain related benefits against such accounts without guarantor or other formalities.
—Krishan Singh,
Talab Tillo, Jammu.