Promotion of Sports/Games
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
10-March, 2015 16:09 IST
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has said that present day Indian youth are taking keen interest in outdoor as well as indoor games like Football, Hockey, Basketball, Lawn Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling, Table Tennis and Badminton etc.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today Shri Sonowal said, promotion and development of specific sports disciplines is mainly the responsibility of the concerned National Sports Federations (NSFs). Government supplements the efforts of the NSFs by providing financial assistance to the NSFs under the Scheme of Assistance to NSFs for various activities such as holding coaching camps for national level sportspersons, zonal and national championships for sub-junior, junior and senior categories, organizing International tournaments in India, training and participation of sportspersons/teams in international tournaments abroad, procurement of sports and sports science equipment and consumables, engagement of foreign coaches/experts to train athletes, etc. as per agreed Long Term Development Plans. During the current financial year, an amount of Rs.185 crore has been allocated under this Scheme. State/UT-wise allocation of funds is not made. Financial assistance given to the NSFs during the last three years and current year is given in Annexure I.
The Minister said, for encouraging youth of the country to take to sports, both for participating in sporting activities and for excelling in sporting competitions in National and International tournaments, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Sports Authority of India (SAI) are implementing a number of other Schemes such as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) scheme [formerly Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA)], Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS), National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC) Scheme, Army Boys’ Sports companies (ABSC) Scheme, SAI Training Centers (STC) Scheme, Special Area Games (SAG) Scheme and Centers of Excellence (CoE) Scheme.
Shri Sonowal said, under RGKA, construction of sports complexes is undertaken in each rural block of the country, both for outdoor and indoor sports disciplines, on land measuring about six-seven acres at a cost of Rs. 80 lakh each (Total Rs.1.60 crore). There is also a provision of Rs. 15 lakh for sports equipment to be provided by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
He said, under the USIS, 100% financial assistance is given, subject to stipulated ceilings to State Governments, Local Civic Bodies, Schools, Colleges and Universities under Central/State Governments, and Sports Control Boards for development of Synthetic playing surface (for Hockey, and Athletics) and for Multipurpose Indoor Hall.
He said, RGKA & USIS Schemes are open to the entire population, including youth, and aim at mass participation and broad-basing of Sports. No data of youth benefitted from these schemes is maintained. However, under PYKKA, a total of 67,931 playfields were approved during the currency of the scheme, i.e., from 2008-09 to 2013-14, and a total of 57,839 playfields have been developed out of them. The total participation in PYKKA annual sports competitions was about 1.64 crores during the period. Under USIS, a total of 50 projects have been sanctioned, out of which 3 projects have been completed. State/UT-wise details of funds released under RGKA and USIS during the last three years and the current year are given in Annex II-V.
In the revised budgetary provisions for the current financial year, Rs. 705 crores has been allocated to Department of Sports to meet, inter-alia, the expenditure on promotion and development of sports, the Minister added.
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PIB
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