The economic growth of the country depends on the robust banking and financial system that mobilizes financial resources and redirects them towards productive uses, henceaiding the government in capital formation and steering the economy towards inclusive growth. India's flagship nationwide mission for financial inclusion, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), launched on 15 August 2014, offers every household access to basic banking facilities including a basic bank account, overdraft facility, RuPay debit card along with accident insurance, and linkage to direct benefit transfers. This scheme is part of the ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047’ which forecasts the evolution of Indian economy from a USD 4.15 trillion economy to a USD 35 trillion economy. In order to ensure that all the citizens are benefitted from such growth, comprehensive financial inclusion is very necessary. This study sheds light on the growth trajectory of PMJDY accounts across the nation from 2014-15 to 2026-27, analyzes the regional performance of the scheme across the Western Indian states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and forecasts accounts enrolment up to 2047 using an exponential smoothing technique. Secondary data gathered from PMJDY portal, publications from Ministry of Finance, RBI reports and various published articles in the peer reviewed journals are used in the report. Analysis techniques such as descriptive statistics, compound annual growth rate (CAGR) analysis, skewness measures, and correlation analysis are used for analysis. The total number of PMJDY accounts increased from 12.1 crore in 2014-15 to 58.35 crore by 2026-27 (provisional), which gives a CAGR of 12.86 per cent. The growth trajectory displays a classic S-curve diffusion pattern which is divided into three parts, a sudden expansion (2014-15 to 2017-18), a moderation phase due to a high base effect (2018-19 to 2023-24), and a volatile recent phase (2024-25 to 2026-27). The percentage change in accounts opened is strongly negatively correlated with the cumulative base (r = -0.84), while the correlation between cumulative enrolment and GDP growth is statistically negligible (r = -0.0068). This indicates that PMJDY's expansion has been driven by supply-side policy push rather than macroeconomic cycles. Among the Western states, Maharashtra has the largest beneficiary base (6.54 per cent of national beneficiaries), followed by Gujarat (3.41 per cent), while Goa and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu together contribute marginally (0.08 per cent). Exponential smoothing projections suggest that the number of PMJDY accounts could reach approximately 124.27 crore by 2047. The study concludes that PMJDY has had a great impact in reducing ‘financial untouchability’ in India. However, the scheme is now moving into a new phase from an account-opening phase to a usage-and-sustainability phase. The policy makers must shift their attention towards account activation, financial literacy, credit linkage, and deepening of services in lagging states and Union Territories. The success of the scheme moving forward will depend on sustained political commitment, bureaucratic coordination, and regulatory oversight by the Reserve Bank of India.
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