Content

1. From Grassroots to Glory
2. 11 Years of PM Jan Dhan Yojana: Banking the Unbanked

From Grassroots to Glory

Background: Sports as a Nation-Building Tool

• Sports in India historically underplayed compared to education, politics, and economy.
• Shift since 2014: sports as governance priority → youth empowerment, health, and national pride.
• India’s demographic advantage: 65% population under 35 years – sports policy aligned with demographic dividend.
• Budget allocation surge: ₹1,643 crore (2014–15) → ₹3,794 crore (2025–26) (↑130.9%).

Relevance : GS 2 (Governance, Schemes)

Policy Vision: Sports in Viksit Bharat 2047

• Youth-centric approach: Sports as a pillar of Naya Bharat.
• Integration with education (NEP 2020) and lifestyle (Fit India → Jan Andolan).
• Goal:
  • Olympics 2036 → India as host nation.
  • Top-10 sporting nation by 2036.
  • Top-5 sporting nation by 2047.

Key Government Schemes & Initiatives

Sports Authority of India (SAI)

• Apex body for sports excellence & grassroots promotion.
• Functions:
  • Talent scouting & nurturing.
  • Scientific training & international exposure.
  • Infrastructure development (stadia, shooting range, academies).
  • Support to flagship schemes – Khelo India, TOPS, Fit India.

Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 (new)

• Paradigm shift – sports as career + national movement.
• Integrates NEP 2020 with sports education.
• Focus:
  • Early talent ID via KIRTI.
  • Grassroots + elite infrastructure.
  • National aspiration: Olympic bid 2036.

Khelo India Programme (2016–17)

• Mass participation + excellence focus.
• Key outcomes:
  • 328 infra projects worth ₹3,151 crore.
  • 1,045 Khelo India Centres (KICs).
  • 34 State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs).
  • 306 accredited academies.
  • 2,845 athletes supported (₹10,000/month stipend, coaching, medical care).

KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification)

• Talent ID for ages 9–18.
• Uses AI, data analytics, standardized protocols for fair selection.
• 174 Talent Assessment Centres (TACs) operational.
• Long-term aim: sustainable athlete pipeline for Olympic-level success.

Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

• Elite athlete funding (customized training, exposure).
• Monthly support:
  • Core athletes → ₹50,000.
  • Development athletes → ₹25,000.
• Beneficiaries: 174 individual athletes + 2 hockey teams (Men & Women).
• Proven success: India’s medals in Tokyo 2020 (7) & Paris 2024 (6).

Fit India Movement (2019)

• Mass fitness → lifestyle change.
• “Ek Ghanta Roz” campaign (NSD 2025 theme).
• Family-centric sessions, expert-led awareness.

Other Schemes

• Assistance to NSFs: strengthens national federations (training, hosting events, hiring coaches).
• National Sports University (2018, Manipur): hub for sports sciences, tech, management, coaching.
• National Sports Awards: Recognition & motivation (Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna → Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna).
• Pension & Welfare Schemes: ₹12k–₹20k monthly pension, up to ₹10 lakh financial support for retired/hardship athletes.
• National Sports Development Fund (NSDF): CSR, NRI, philanthropy contributions.
• NCSSR (2017): Sports science & medicine, budget ₹260 crore till 2025–26.

Landmark Reform: National Sports Governance Act 2025

• Introduced Aug 18, 2025.
• Objectives: Transparency, accountability, athlete welfare.
• Key features:
  • Athlete representation & gender inclusion mandatory.
  • Safe Sports Policy – protects women, minors, vulnerable athletes.
  • Code of Ethics (aligned with IOC/IPC norms).
  • Internal grievance redressal mechanism in all sports bodies.
  • Age & tenure limits for office bearers (70–75 yrs conditional relaxation).
  • RTI applicability – sports bodies treated as public authorities.
  • Professional sports administrators (not just retired judges) to resolve crises.

India’s Sporting Journey (Olympics Performance)

• Rio 2016: 117 athletes → 2 medals.
• Tokyo 2020: 124 athletes → 7 medals.
• Paris 2024: 117 athletes → 6 medals.
• Icons: Neeraj Chopra (1st Olympic athletics gold), Mirabai Chanu (multiple medals).
• Trend: Growing medal tally, diversified disciplines, improved global presence.

Social & Cultural Dimension

• Major Dhyan Chand: Hockey legend, National Sports Day inspiration.
• Olympic & Paralympic values: Excellence, Respect, Equality, Courage.
• Sports → youth discipline, fitness, national integration, soft power.
• “From pastime → profession → diplomacy tool”.

Challenges & Way Forward

• Grassroots penetration: ensuring rural & tier-2/3 cities get infra & coaching.
• Gender disparity: bridging participation gaps, ensuring safety.
• Sustainability of funding: private sector partnerships via NSDF critical.
• Scientific ecosystem: expand NCSSR model nationwide.
• Olympic 2036 ambition: requires global-scale infra, governance credibility, and mass athlete pipeline.
• Cultural shift: Sports must become “mainstream career” comparable to education/professions.

Conclusion

• India’s sports ecosystem is undergoing systemic, athlete-centric transformation.
• From Khelo India → Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 → Governance Act 2025, reforms integrate grassroots to elite.
• With a demographic dividend, scientific support, and transparent governance, India is positioned for a leap from sporadic success to sustained global excellence.
• By 2036 (Olympic bid) and 2047 (Viksit Bharat), India envisions itself as a sporting superpower—where sports are not just medals, but also nation-building, youth empowerment, and global leadership.

11 Years of PM Jan Dhan Yojana: Banking the Unbanked

Background: Why Financial Inclusion was Needed

• Pre-2014 scenario:
  • 40%+ Indians unbanked, esp. in rural/semi-urban areas.
  • Dependence on informal moneylenders → high interest debt traps.
  • Lack of access to credit, insurance, pensions, DBT, digital payments.
• Policy Push (2014 onwards):
  • PMJDY launched (28 Aug 2014) as National Mission for Financial Inclusion.
  • Motto: Banking the Unbanked, Securing the Unsecured, Funding the Unfunded, Serving the Unserved & Underserved.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance , Schemes) , GS 3(Indian Economy)

Core Tenets of PMJDY

• Banking the Unbanked:
  • Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts (BSBDA) with zero balance, minimal KYC, e-KYC, account opening in camps.
• Securing the Unsecured:
  • Free RuPay debit cards with accident insurance (₹2 lakh after Aug 2018; earlier ₹1 lakh).
• Funding the Unfunded:
  • Overdraft facility (up to ₹10,000).
  • Access to micro-credit, micro-insurance, micro-pensions.
• Financial Integration:
  • Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), linking to other schemes – PMJJBY, PMSBY, APY, MUDRA.

Key Features of Accounts

• BSBDA (Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account):
  • No minimum balance, 4 withdrawals/month, via bank/ATM/BCs.
• Small Accounts / Chota Khata:
  • For citizens without valid KYC; valid for 12 months + 12-month extension with proof of applied documents.
• RuPay Debit Card:
  • 38.68 crore issued till 2025.
  • Enabled digital payments, accident cover, cashless transactions.
• Overdraft Facility:
  • Contingency support up to ₹10,000 (esp. for women).
• Business Correspondents (BCs)/Bank Mitras:
  • Last-mile banking agents in villages → deposits, withdrawals, mini-statements.

Achievements in 11 Years (2014 → 2025)

• Account Growth:
  • 14.72 crore (2015) → 56.16 crore (Aug 2025).
  • ~67% rural/semi-urban, 33% urban/metro.
• Women Empowerment:
  • 56% accounts held by women (nearly 30 crore women beneficiaries).
• Deposits Growth:
  • ₹15,670 crore (Mar 2015) → ₹2.67 lakh crore (Aug 2025).
• RuPay Cards:
  • 38.68 crore issued, pivotal in digital payment adoption.
• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT):
  • Linked with 327 schemes → leakage reduction, subsidy efficiency.
• Financial Literacy & Camps (2025 Saturation Drive):
  • 99,753 camps held (July 2025).
  • 6.6 lakh new PMJDY accounts, 22.65 lakh new enrollments in PMJJBY/PMSBY/APY.
  • 4.73 lakh inactive accounts reactivated.

PMJDY’s Transformative Impact

• Financial Ecosystem Backbone:
  • DBT pipeline for LPG subsidy (PAHAL), MGNREGA, PM-KISAN, pensions, scholarships.
• Gender Empowerment:
  • Women get control over savings, pensions, and insurance.
  • Reduced dependence on moneylenders.
• Digital Economy Boost:
  • RuPay cards + UPI adoption → India leads in global real-time payments (40%+ of world’s volume).
• Social Equity:
  • Access for marginalized groups (migrant workers, rural poor, unorganised sector).
• Trust in Formal Banking:
  • Deposits growth shows behavioural shift → poor saving in banks, not cash-at-home.

Global Recognition

• Guinness World Record (2014):
  • 18,096,130 bank accounts opened in one week → world record.
• World Bank & IMF:
  • Recognize PMJDY as largest financial inclusion drive globally.

Challenges & Gaps

• Dormant/Inactive Accounts: Still ~15–20% accounts inactive.
• Overdraft Utilisation Low: Fear of repayment, lack of awareness.
• Financial Literacy Deficit: Many account holders don’t fully use facilities (credit/insurance).
• Digital Divide: Rural women, elderly, less-educated find digital transactions difficult.
• Banking Correspondent Sustainability: Low remuneration → high attrition.

Way Forward (2025 → 2047)

• Deepening Financial Services: Move beyond accounts → ensure access to credit, insurance, pensions.
• Women-Centric Financial Products: Special micro-savings, insurance for women SHGs.
• Digital + AI Empowerment: Fintech innovations to expand reach in remote areas.
• Strengthening BC Model: Better incentives, tech support for Bank Mitras.
• Financial Literacy Revolution: Village-level awareness + school curriculum integration.
• Universal Coverage by 2047: Every Indian with a bank account + digital footprint + financial product access.