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- Why in News?
- The National Sports Governance Bill was recently introduced in the Lok Sabha, aiming to establish a robust legal framework to enhance the functioning of sports bodies in India.
- Key Provisions:-
- The Bill seeks to improve transparency, reduce litigation, and promote better performance in national and international sports.
- It proposes the creation of designated National Sports Bodies (NSBs) for each recognized sport, including a National Olympic Committee (NOC) for Olympic sports and a National Paralympic Committee (NPC) for Paralympic disciplines. Other bodies include National and Regional Sports Federations (NSFs/RSFs). A National Sports Board, appointed by the Centre, will oversee recognition, maintain a register of NSBs, and guide governance.
- A National Sports Tribunal, led by a senior judge and experts, will ensure timely dispute resolution, with costs covered by the Consolidated Fund of India. The Bill also mandates a Code of Ethics, Safe Sports Policy, and independent election oversight, aiming to align Indian sports governance with global best practices.
- Why in News?
- The Supreme Court has directed the enforcement of the Allahabad High Court’s 2022 guidelines, which mandate a two-month "cooling-off" period in cases filed under matrimonial cruelty laws. During this period, police are restrained from making any arrests or taking coercive action. This aims to provide both parties an opportunity for reconciliation and prevent misuse of legal provisions in matrimonial disputes.
- Key Provisions:-
- Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code was enacted to safeguard women from cruelty inflicted by their husbands or in-laws. It criminalizes acts of physical or mental harassment related to dowry or domestic abuse, with penalties including imprisonment for up to three years and a fine. The offense is both cognizable and non-bailable, giving the police the authority to arrest without a warrant. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Section 85 now incorporates similar protections, continuing the legal framework to address cruelty against women within marriage.
- Why in News?
- The Reserve Bank of India’s Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for FY25 has shown steady improvement, rising to 67 from 64.2 in FY24. This increase is attributed primarily to greater usage of financial services and enhanced quality of service delivery, indicating a deepening of financial inclusion across the country. The progress also reflects the impact of ongoing efforts to improve financial literacy and accessibility.
- Key Provisions:-
- Launched in 2021, the FI-Index is released annually in July and offers a comprehensive assessment of financial inclusion in India. It covers multiple sectors, including banking, investments, insurance, postal, and pensions. The index is scored on a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 represents complete financial exclusion and 100 indicates full inclusion. It is built on three key parameters: Access (35%), Usage (45%), and Quality (20%). Notably, the index has been designed without a fixed base year, allowing flexible tracking of inclusion trends over time.