Gujarat has witnessed a major lapse in the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), with more than 34 lakh life insurance policies under the scheme discontinued over the last five years due to non-payment of annual premiums. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha on February 2, 2026, in response to a starred question regarding beneficiaries covered under PMJJBY.

PMJJBY is a term life insurance scheme launched by the Centre, offering life cover at an affordable premium of Rs 436 per year. In case of the insured person’s death, the nominee or heirs receive an insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh. Citizens aged between 18 and 50 years can enrol in the scheme, and coverage continues up to the age of 55, provided the premium is paid annually. The scheme has seen significant participation in Gujarat, particularly among unorganised sector workers and low-income groups. However, failure to renew policies each year has led to a growing number of closures.

According to official data, Gujarat recorded 3,52,830 discontinued policies in 2021, followed by 5,12,642 in 2022, 6,66,865 in 2023, 9,47,599 in 2024, and 9,22,865 in 2025. This brings the total number of lapsed policies in the state to 34,02,801 over the five-year period, mainly due to insufficient bank balance at the time of auto-debit of the premium.

Despite these discontinuations, Gujarat continues to see strong enrolment under the low-cost insurance scheme. The total number of beneficiaries covered in the state rose steadily from 36.41 lakh in May 2021 to 1.04 crore by January 7, 2026, reflecting growing awareness and participation. However, the number of active policies stood at 55.32 lakh as of January 2026, indicating that a significant portion of enrolled citizens are unable to maintain policy continuity.

Claim settlement data also highlights the scheme’s importance for families in Gujarat. As of January 7, 2026, the state recorded 62,920 cumulative claims received, out of which 58,174 claims were paid, while 1,670 claims were rejected, with a settlement ratio of over 95 percent. DeshGujarat