Editor's Correspondence from August 19, 2025
Published on August 19, 2025
India's 10th Chief Election Commissioner, TN Seshan, transformed the Election Commission into a guardian of democracy, with the rights of voters during his tenure at the heart of the election process. Meanwhile, in the realm of finance, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) scheme has revolutionized financial inclusion, enabling beneficiaries to receive government benefits directly without third-party involvement. However, over 23% of these accounts are currently inoperative, according to FinMin data.
The cause of dormancy is multifaceted, including no transactions for over two years, poor banking access in remote rural areas, lack of financial literacy, and duplicate or non-functional accounts. To address this, the government has launched targeted initiatives such as a Gram Panchayat-level saturation drive focused on re-KYC (Know Your Customer) to reactivate dormant accounts. Banks are required by RBI guidelines to notify customers via letters, SMS, or email before accounts become inoperative, and they regularly monitor account activity. Integration of Jan Dhan accounts with welfare schemes is also aimed at encouraging regular transactions and boosting account usage.
These combined efforts aim to significantly reduce the percentage of inactive Jan Dhan accounts across states, including high-dormancy areas like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Vidarbha, and others. The dormant accounts, amounting to a considerable ₹2.64 lakh crore, need to be activated to protect them from mis-utilization.
In the tourism sector, India's industry is currently lagging behind other nations. Cleanliness near tourist sites is crucial for attracting foreign tourists, yet many heritage sites are poorly maintained, with their history forgotten and inaccessible. Misbehavior by locals towards foreign tourists is a problem in some tourist destinations and needs to be addressed. Availability of guides who can speak foreign languages is essential for attracting tourists from abroad.
Veena Shenoy, a renowned expert, suggests that improving the maintenance of heritage sites and addressing issues of cleanliness and local misbehavior can boost India's tourism industry. The new GST policy, considered welcome, is indirectly related to the potential economic impact of attracting more foreign tourists to India, as it offers hope for increased sales in the auto and white goods sectors.
In conclusion, the government's initiatives to reactivate dormant Jan Dhan accounts and the call for improved tourism infrastructure and etiquette present opportunities for India to revitalize its financial inclusion program and boost its tourism sector.
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