Financial Inclusion

56% of accounts held by women; 67% in rural or semi-urban areas. A meaningful share of accounts were historically zero-balance — though the proportion has declined; average balance is now ~₹4,700. The scheme builds on pre-2014 financial inclusion efforts; Aadhaar-based KYC was essential infrastructure.

Average balance ~4,700 INR per account. Rapid growth in deposits reflects both new account openings and DBT inflows. Early years saw many zero-balance accounts; this has improved substantially.

Launched 17 September 2023 with ₹13,000 crore budget for FY2023–28. Supports 18 traditional trades — blacksmiths, goldsmiths, potters, carpenters, masons, cobblers, and more — with skills training, free toolkit, and collateral-free credit up to ₹3 lakh in two tranches. The target of 30 lakh registrations was achieved by September 2025, three years ahead of the 2028 deadline. As of August 2026: 24.3 lakh completed basic training, 17.8 lakh received toolkit, 6.1 lakh received loan sanctions worth ₹5,271 crore, 7.95 lakh received digital transaction incentives. Scheme is the first dedicated central scheme for traditional artisan communities.