Banking presence extends to 99.92% of inhabited villages: Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Finance has said that India has nearly achieved universal banking coverage, with 99.92% of inhabited villages having access to a banking outlet within a 5-km radius. It said banking services now reach 6,00,868 (99.92%) of the country's 6,01,328 inhabited villages through a network of bank branches, Business Correspondents and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) outlets.
The outreach is enabled by a nationwide network of over 1.81 lakh bank branches, 17.36 lakh Business Correspondents and 1.65 lakh India Post Payments Bank centres as of July 17, 2026. Ministry of Finance also noted that to ensure accessibility of banking services in rural and remote areas, the endeavor of the Government is to provide a banking outlet (Bank branch / Business Correspondent / India Post Payments Bank) within 5 kilometers radius of all inhabited villages in the country.
Highlighting another initiative to strengthen financial inclusion across the country, it said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted Commercial Banks, Small Finance Banks, Payments Banks, Local Area Banks and Regional Rural Banks, to open bank branches anywhere in India without prior approval, provided 25% are in unbanked rural areas.
