Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 28 June 2026, praised the Petkar family of Bahadurpura, Nanded in Maharashtra for enrolling fellow villagers in government accident insurance schemes as part of their wedding celebrations, calling it a new social ideal worth emulating across the country.

Writing in Marathi on X, PM Modi highlighted that the family had set a commendable example by using a joyous occasion to extend financial protection to their community. He urged citizens to enrol in the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), describing them as a 'suraksha kavach' — a protective shield — for people in times of difficulty.

Context

The post, written in Marathi and directed at a Maharashtra audience, spotlights a grassroots act of social responsibility in Nanded, a district in the Marathwada region. The Petkar family of Bahadurpura reportedly purchased accidental insurance coverage under central government schemes for residents of their village as a wedding gift to the community. PM Modi shared this story to amplify the culture of insurance adoption at the ground level.

Policy Backdrop

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) offers accidental death and disability cover of Rs 2 lakh for a nominal annual premium of just Rs 20, making it one of the most affordable insurance products available to Indian citizens. The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) provides life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh for an annual premium of Rs 436, targeting individuals in the 18–50 age group.

Both schemes were launched in May 2015 as part of the government's financial inclusion drive under the broader Jan Suraksha (people's protection) umbrella, aimed at bringing low-cost social security to unorganised sector workers, farmers, and economically vulnerable households. Enrolment is linked to bank accounts and can be activated through a simple auto-debit mandate.

Stakeholders and Impact

The schemes have cumulatively enrolled hundreds of millions of beneficiaries since their launch, with PMSBY and PMJJBY together covering a significant share of India's previously uninsured population. Rural communities in states like Maharashtra remain a key target demographic, as agricultural households face heightened vulnerability to accidental deaths and income disruption.

By highlighting the Petkar family's initiative, the Prime Minister is effectively encouraging a peer-to-peer model of insurance awareness — where social occasions become platforms for community welfare. This approach sidesteps formal outreach barriers and leverages trust networks within villages.

What's Next

The Prime Minister's public endorsement is likely to prompt state government machinery and banking correspondents in Maharashtra and beyond to intensify enrolment drives, particularly ahead of the kharif agricultural season when rural financial stress typically peaks. The Nanded example may be adopted as a model case study in future government outreach campaigns for PMSBY and PMJJBY, reinforcing the message that social protection can be woven into everyday community traditions.