The endeavour of the Government appeared to have ensured availability of banking outlet [Bank branch / Business Correspondent (BC) / India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)] within 05 kilometres (kms) of all inhabited villages in the country. 

No joke this. In fact, availability  of banking outlets is directly monitored by a Geographic Information System (GIS) based Application, namely, the Jan Dhan Darshak (JDD) App. 

Based on the data uploaded by Banks on the JDD App., 99.92% villages in the country and 100% villages in the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli are covered with banking outlets (Bank Branch / BC / IPPB) within a radius of 05 kms (as on 06.03.2026). 

Major impediments in augmentation of banking infrastructure are lack of connectivity & infrastructure alongwith non-availability of suitable premises. 

Further, as per the extant RBI guidelines, rolling out of banking outlets in uncovered areas is a continuous process looked after by the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC)/ Union Territory Level Bankers Committee (UTLBC), in consultation with the concerned State Government, member banks and other stakeholders. Banks, inter-alia, consider proposals for opening banking outlets in the light of RBI’s instructions, their business plans and commercial viability. To further assess the viability for opening a banking outlet, banks carry out survey as required. 

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary in Lok Sabha on March 30,2026.