Schemes Related to Banking and Finance: Banking Awareness Notes

Dear Aspirants, 

Govt. Schemes Related to Banking and Finance:

As you all know that the phase of Preliminary examinations for SBI had come to an end and now you all need to gear up for the mains examinations. In mains, General Awareness section plays an important role in scoring good marks and increasing your attempts. One of the favorite topics of Banking and Insurance examinations are “schemes related to Banking and Finance”. So here we have compiled up few important government schemes related to Banking and Finance that will be handy for your examinations. Please go through it thoroughly and prepare well for your examinations like SBI PO/Clerk Mains, BOB PO, RBI Grade-B Officers etc…

Hon’ble Prime Minister announced Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana as the National Mission on Financial Inclusion in his Independence Day address on 15th August 2014, to ensure comprehensive financial inclusion of all the households in the country by providing universal access to banking facilities with at least one basic bank account to every household, financial literacy, access to credit, insurance and pension facility. Under this, a person not having a savings account can open an account without the requirement of any minimum balance and, in case they self-certify that they do not have any of the officially valid documents required for opening a savings account, they may open a small account. Further, to expand the reach of banking services, all of over 6 lakh villages in the country were mapped into 1.59 lakh Sub Service Areas (SSAs), with each SSA typically comprising of 1,000 to 1,500 households, and in the 1.26 lakh SSAs that did not have a bank branch, Bank Mitras were deployed for branchless banking.

Thus, PMJDY offers unbanked persons easy access to banking services and awareness about financial products through financial literacy programmes. In addition, they receive a RuPay debit card, with inbuilt accident insurance cover of Rs. 1 lakh, and access to overdraft facility upon satisfactory operation of account or credit history of six months. Further, through Prime Minister’s Social Security Schemes, launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 9th May 2015, all eligible account holders can access through their bank accounts personal accident insurance cover under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, life insurance cover under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and guaranteed minimum pension to subscribers under Atal Pension Yojana.

PMJDY was conceived as a bold, innovative and ambitious mission. Census 2011 estimated that out of 24.67 crore households in the country, 14.48 crore (58.7%) had access to banking services. In the first phase of the scheme, these households were targeted for inclusion through the opening of a bank account within a year of the launch of the scheme. The actual achievement, by 26th January 2015, was 12.55 crore. As on 29.3.2017, the number of accounts has grown to 28.17 crores. Further, in 2011, only 0.33 lakh SSAs had banking facility and through the provision of Bank Mitras in 1.26 lakh branchless SSAs, banking services were extended throughout rural India. The inclusive aspect of this is evident from the fact that 16.87 crores (60%) of PMJDY accounts are in rural areas and 14.49 crore (over 51%) PMJDY account holders are women.

The deposit base of PMJDY accounts has expanded over time. As on 29th March 2017, the deposit balance in PMJDY accounts was Rs. 62,972 crore. The average deposit per account has more than doubled from Rs. 1,064 in March 2015 to Rs. 2,235 in March 2017.

The Bank Mitra network has also gained in strength and usage. The average number of transactions per Bank Mitra, on the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System operated by Bank Mitras, has risen by over eightyfold, from 52 transactions in 2014-15 to 4,291 transactions in 2016-17.

From Jan Dhan to Jan Suraksha- 

For creating a universal social security system for all Indians, especially the poor and the under-privileged the Hon’ble Prime Minister launched three Social Security Schemes in the Insurance and Pension sectors on 9th of May 2015.

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)-

The PMJJBY is available to people in the age group of 18 to 50 years having a bank account who give their consent to join /enable auto-debit. Aadhar is the primary KYC for the bank account. The life cover of Rs. 2 lakh is for the one year period stretching from 1st June to 31st May and is renewable. Risk coverage under this scheme is for Rs. 2 lakh in case of death of the insured, due to any reason. The premium is Rs. 330 per annum which is to be auto-debited in one installment from the subscriber’s bank account as per the option given by him on or before 31st May of each annual coverage period under the scheme. The scheme is being offered by the Life Insurance Corporation and all other life insurers who are willing to offer the product on similar terms with necessary approvals and tie up with banks for this purpose. As on 31st March 2017, cumulative gross enrollment reported by banks subject to verification of eligibility, etc. is over 3.10 crore under PMJJBY. A total of 62166 claims were registered under PMJJBY of which 59118 have been disbursed.

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)- 

The Scheme is available to people in the age group 18 to 70 years with a bank account who give their consent to join/ enable auto-debit on or before 31st May for the coverage period 1st June to 31st May on an annual renewal basis. Aadhar would be the primary KYC for the bank account. The risk coverage under the scheme is Rs. 2 lakh for accidental death and full disability and Rs. 1 lakh for partial disability. The premium of Rs.12 per annum is to be deducted from the account holder’s bank account through ‘auto-debit’ facility in one installment. The scheme is being offered by Public Sector General Insurance Companies or any other General Insurance Company who are willing to offer the product on similar terms with necessary approvals and tie up with banks for this purpose. As on 31st March 2017, cumulative gross enrolment reported by Banks subject to verification of eligibility etc. is over 9.94 crore under PMSBY. A total of 12,534 Claims were registered under PMSBY of which 9,403 have been disbursed.

Atal Pension Yojana (APY)- 

APY was launched on 9th May 2015 by the Prime Minister. APY is open to all saving bank/post office saving bank account holders in the age group of 18 to 40 years and the contributions differ, based on pension amount chosen.  Subscribers would receive the guaranteed minimum monthly pension of Rs. 1,000 or Rs. 2,000 or Rs. 3,000 or Rs. 4,000 or Rs. 5,000 at the age of 60 years. Under APY, the monthly pension would be available to the subscriber, and after him to his spouse and after their death, the pension corpus, as accumulated at age 60 of the subscriber, would be returned to the nominee of the subscriber. The minimum pension would be guaranteed by the Government, i.e., if the accumulated corpus based on contributions earns a lower than estimated return on investment and is inadequate to provide the minimum guaranteed pension, the Central Government would fund such inadequacy. Alternatively, if the returns on investment are higher, the subscribers would get enhanced pensionary benefits.

In the event of premature death of the subscriber, Government has decided to give an option to the spouse of the subscriber to continue contributing to APY account of the subscriber, for the remaining vesting period, till the original subscriber would have attained the age of 60 years. The spouse of the subscriber shall be entitled to receive the same pension amount as that of the subscriber until the death of the spouse. After the death of both the subscriber and the spouse, the nominee of the subscriber shall be entitled to receive the pension wealth, as accumulated till age 60 of the subscriber. As on 31st March 2017, a total of 48.54 lakh subscribers have been enrolled under APY with a total pension wealth of Rs. 1,756.48 crore.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana- 

The scheme was launched on 8th April 2015. Under the scheme a loan of upto Rs. 50,000 is given under sub-scheme ‘Shishu’; between Rs. 50,000 to 5.0 Lakhs under sub-scheme ‘Kishore’; and between 5.0 Lakhs to 10.0 Lakhs under sub-scheme ‘Tarun’. Loans taken do not require collaterals. These measures are aimed at increasing the confidence of young, educated or skilled workers who would now be able to aspire to become first generation entrepreneurs; existing small businesses, too, will be able to expand theirs activates. As on 31st March 2017, Rs. 1,80,528.54 crores sanctioned (Rs. 85,100.74 cr. – Shishu, Rs. 53,545.14 cr. Kishore and Rs. 41,882.66 cr. – Tarun category), in 3,97,01,047 accounts.

Stand Up India Scheme- 

The government of India launched the Stand Up India scheme on 5th April 2016. The Scheme facilitates bank loans between Rs.10 lakh and Rs.1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe borrower and at least one Woman borrower per bank branch for setting up greenfield enterprises. This enterprise may be in manufacturing, services or the trading sector. The scheme which is being implemented through all Scheduled Commercial Banks is to benefit at least 2.5 lakh borrowers. The scheme is operational and the loan is being extended through Scheduled Commercial Banks across the country.

Stand Up India scheme caters to promoting entrepreneurship amongst women, SC & ST category i.e those sections of the population facing significant hurdles due to lack of advice/mentorship as well as inadequate and delayed credit. The scheme intends to leverage the institutional credit structure to reach out to these underserved sectors of the population in starting greenfield enterprises. It caters to both ready and trainee borrowers.

To extend collateral free coverage, Government of India has set up the Credit Guarantee Fund for Stand Up India (CGFSI). Apart from providing credit facility, Stand Up India Scheme also envisages extending hand-holding support to the potential borrowers. It provides for convergence with Central/State Government schemes. Applications under the scheme can also be made online on the dedicated Stand Up India portal (www.standupmitra.in). As on 29.03.2017, Rs. 5,237.29 crore has been sanctioned in 25,435 accounts (20,305 – women, 1,086-ST and 4,044 – SC).

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana- 

Based on the success and popularity of Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2003 (VPBY-2003), Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2014 (VPBY-2014) schemes, and to protect elderly persons aged 60 years and above against a future fall in their interest income due to the uncertain market conditions, as also to provide social security during old age, it has been decided to launch a simplified scheme of assured pension of 8% called the ‘प्रधानमंत्री वय वन्दना योजना’. This is implemented through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.  As per the scheme, on payment of an initial lump sum amount ranging from a minimum purchase price of Rs. 1,50,000/- for a minimum pension of Rs 1,000/- per month to a maximum purchase price of Rs. 7, 50,000/- for the maximum pension of Rs. 5,000/- per month, subscribers will get an assured pension based on a guaranteed rate of return of 8% per annum, payable monthly.

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