Exploring Cash Transfer to Jan Dhan Accounts as COVID-19 Response: Findings from A Rapid Survey (28 April to 12 May 2020) for Assessing the Ground Reality

On March 25 Finance Minister Normal Sitharaman announced that account holders under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) (also known as Jan Dhan account, or JD account) would receive cash transfers of INR 500 every month for three months. As an immediate response this was India’s largest-ever cash transfer programme targeting women. However, while the lockdown started on March 25th, the first round of cash transfer to the Jan Dhan Accounts began from April 4, 2020.As is common with various other cash transfer programmes, in this case too there were numerous concerns reported regarding accessing this meagre cash benefit amidst prevailing lockdown scenario. There were also false rumours about the money being taken back if not withdrawn immediately which resulted in long serpentine queues outside bank branches at several places . To understand the status of the extension of this financial benefits to the Jan Dhan account holder women, a rapid survey wasplanned by the National Coalition of Civil Society Organisations . Mainly the idea of this rapid surveywas discussed in the Steering Group5 meeting of the National Coalition and then finalized. the findings in brief:84% of the women surveyed reported that their JD accounts were operational at the time of this survey, whereas other 8% of the surveyed women denied the same. ? 84% of the women surveyed reported that their JD accounts were operational at the time of this survey, whereas other 8% of the surveyed women denied the same. ? 42% of the surveyed women had to visit the bank branch to know whether they have received the money. ? 20% surveyed women were not being able to withdraw the received money due to several reasons including lockdown being the predominant one, although the overall withdrawal status is satisfactory.