Comparative Analysis of Awareness and Accessibility of Government Schemes and Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas

Abstract

This paper is a comparative study of the level of knowledge and availability of government welfare schemes along with the aspect of financial inclusion in the villages of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The research is based on primary data as 98 people were taken for a survey through a questionnaire to find out how far schemes like PMJDY, MGNREGA, and Ayushman Bharat have penetrated the rural areas. The paper looks at how the local self, government (Panchayats) and digital literacy can help in closing the financial gap of villages. The data analysis suggests that people are quite aware, but major problems like delay in government formalities and lack of proper documents are still there. It also shows that educational qualifications are significantly related to the use of digital payment methods. The paper concludes that there is a strong need for focused financial education programs and efficient complaint resolution systems in order to bring about the desired socio, economic change through these schemes in the districts of both states that were studied.