New Delhi : Emphasising that the financial inclusion was the key to poverty alleviation, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said that an unprecedented number of over 26 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened for people who did not have a bank account.

"Financial inclusion is key to poverty alleviation. An unprecedented 26 crore plus Jan Dhan accounts have been opened for the unbanked," Mukherjee said while addressing a joint session of both houses of parliament ahead of the Budget Session.

"Close to 13 crore poor have been covered under various social security schemes," he added.

To take the banking system to the doorstep of the poor and the unbanked, the Indian Postal Payments Bank has been started, the President said.

He further added that over Rs two lakh crore has been provided through 5.6 crore loans sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana. IANS