Content
- From Grassroots to Glory
- 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.
