Rs 3,400 crore unclaimed in Karnataka bank accounts: RBI official
Mangaluru: Around Rs 3,400 crore has remained unclaimed in bank accounts across Karnataka for more than a decade, officials said during the District Consultative Committee (DCC) and District Level Review Committee (DLRC) meeting held here on Wednesday.
Arun Kumar, Assistant General Manager of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Bengaluru Regional Office, said the central bank has launched a state wide campaign under the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF) to help people recover unclaimed deposits. The special drive, which began three months ago, will continue till December 31, though depositors can approach banks even after the deadline, The New Indian Express reported.
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He reportedly said nearly 80 per cent of unclaimed accounts have balances of less than Rs 10,000. Many of them are decades old, lack updated mobile numbers or KYC details, and in several cases, the original account holders are no longer alive. Updating mobile numbers and customer details has been taken up as the first step in the campaign.
The unclaimed money includes deposits in savings, fixed deposit and current accounts. Customers can also check for unclaimed deposits through the UDGAM online portal.
Dakshina Kannada Lead Bank District Chief Manager Kavitha Shetty said around Rs 140 crore remains unclaimed in nearly six lakh bank accounts in the district alone. So far, Rs 20 crore has been returned to depositors of 830 accounts under the DEAF scheme.
Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta called for stronger awareness efforts and urged banks to proactively inform customers through pamphlets and direct outreach. He also raised concerns over delays in implementing welfare schemes and stressed the need for better execution of programmes such as PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY and APY.
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Nepotism that existed in sports before 2014 has ended; now poor can rise to top levels: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said irregularities in team selection and sports that often happened before 2014 came to an end a decade ago, and now children from even the poorest families can rise to the top levels purely through hard work and talent.
Addressing the 'Sansad Khel Mahotsav', a sports and fitness festival aimed at promoting a sporting culture and leadership among the youth, PM Modi said the scale of the Mahotsav is as vast as its impact.
Through this initiative, he said, the nation is discovering thousands of talented sportspersons.
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"The festival is steadily emerging as a strong pillar of youth empowerment and nation-building. Another special aspect of the 'Sansad Khel Mahotsav' is the way it is playing a transformative role in changing societal mindsets," he said.
The prime minister said that before 2014, irregularities in team selection and sports infrastructure often took place in sports.
"Today, those practices have come to an end. Even children from the poorest families can now rise to the highest levels purely through hard work and talent," he said.
PM Modi also referred to the allocation of more than Rs 3000 crore for the country's sports budget, which was less than Rs 1200 crore before 2014.
He said that through a special scheme, athletes are being provided monthly financial assistance ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 each.
"Today, I want to tell every athlete of the country that you are not just playing for your own victory, you are playing for the country, you are playing for the honour and dignity of the tricolour," he said.
The prime minister also requested all parents to encourage their children to take part in sports and give them opportunities to participate in sporting activities.
Sports is not just a part of learning, it is also important for a healthy body and a healthy mind, he said.
Describing how sports culture is growing in the country, the prime minister said that from every corner of the country, inspiring examples are emerging that motivate the nation.
He said that in some places, differently abled athletes are defying limitations and reaching new heights, while on sports grounds elsewhere, young girls are striving tirelessly to turn their dreams into reality.
"Today, India's athletes are breaking records, setting new benchmarks, and taking India to new heights on the global sporting map," he said.
PM Modi said that until a few years ago, family members would scold and reprimand the child for playing too much as it was then considered a waste of time. Today, he said, society, and even parents, have realised that playing does not ruin one's life.
"Now they understand that their children, by excelling in sports, can change not only their own and their family's fate, but also that of the entire village and society. Today, opportunities in sports are not limited, but unlimited," he said.
The prime minister said that in 2030, India will host the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and then the eyes of the entire world will be on India. "Not only that, India is also making efforts to host the biggest sports event, that is, the Olympics, in 2036," he said.
The 'Sansad Khel Mahotsav' is a sports and fitness festival aimed at promoting a sporting culture and leadership among the youth. A key objective is to bring the community together through sports and fitness and to take the message of 'Fit India' to every home.
The festival features a three-level competition, including games at the village, block/ward, and parliamentary constituency levels.
The sports categories include traditional games, football, volleyball, and cricket. The event also includes fun activities like tug of war, lemon spoon race, and sack races to ensure wider participation.
