UP's BC Sakhi Scheme records Rs 40,000 crore in transactions, takes banking to every village

Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership, Uttar Pradesh's 'One Gram Panchayat-One BC Sakhi' scheme has emerged as a major success in expanding banking services in rural areas. Women working as Business Correspondent Sakhis (BC Sakhis) have so far completed banking transactions worth nearly Rs 40,000 crore across the state.

The scheme has deployed around 40,000 BC Sakhis in villages making banking services easily available at people's doorsteps. Rural residents can now carry out daily banking work without travelling to distant towns or bank branches.

BC Sakhis assist villagers with cash deposits and withdrawals, account-based transactions, money transfers, loan applications and opening RD and FD accounts.

The BC Sakhi scheme was launched in May 2020 with the aim of providing banking facilities near people's homes while creating employment opportunities for women in rural areas. Since then, it has reduced the need for villagers to make repeated trips to cities for banking needs.

The state government aims to deploy BC Sakhis in more than 57,000 gram panchayats. So far, 50,225 women have been trained and certified, out of which nearly 40,000 are currently active in villages. Through banking services, BC Sakhis have earned dividends of over Rs 106 crore strengthening their financial independence.

The scheme has played a key role in making rural women self-reliant. BC Sakhis are now trusted figures in their communities and serve as the primary link between villagers and banks. The initiative is being seen as a strong example of women's empowerment while ensuring effective delivery of banking services at the grassroots level in Uttar Pradesh.