New Delhi, June 27 (IANS). What started as a simple digital payments platform 10 years ago, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has today become the backbone of everyday digital commerce in India, an official factsheet said on Saturday. While only 2 crore transactions were done through UPI in the financial year 2016-17, this number increased to more than 24,162 crore in the financial year 2025-26.
The statement said that Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM Trinity) brought about a major change in the system of financial inclusion in India and delivery of benefits of government schemes directly to the people. Through this initiative, crores of people were connected to the formal banking system and got easy and transparent access to government services.
Banking services expanded rapidly across the country through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. The number of Jan Dhan accounts was 14.72 crore in March 2015, which increased to 57.78 crore by February 2026. During the same period, the amount deposited in these accounts increased from Rs 15,670 crore to Rs 2.94 lakh crore.
According to the factsheet, Aadhaar provided secure and instant digital identity in the country. Aadhaar enrollment was only 0.42 crore in the year 2010-11, which increased to more than 144 crore by March 2026. This makes digital authentication more secure and easier than before.
Mobile connectivity further strengthens the JAM trinity and increases the reach of digital services across the country. By March 2026, 85.5 percent of households in India had at least one smartphone, while more than 109 crore people were using the internet.
Together, these three initiatives create a strong foundation for the inclusive governance model of Digital India. By June 2026, an amount of more than Rs 51 lakh crore has been sent directly to the accounts of 176 crore beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), which has increased transparency and the benefits of government schemes have reached the people faster.
DigiLocker has made a big change in the direction of providing secure digital documents in place of paper documents. By March 2026, more than 70.69 crore users have been registered on this platform, while more than 850 crore digital documents have been issued. This makes verification of documents faster, paperless and more reliable.
The statement said that Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has made the government procurement process more transparent, faster and completely digital.
A total gross merchandise value (GMV) of over Rs 18.4 lakh crore is expected to be recorded on GeM by June 2026, which includes turnover of Rs 5 lakh crore during FY 2025-26. Through this platform, more than 11 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have got the opportunity to access government markets.
–IANS
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