Lok Sabha Question No. 383 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-22
Subject: Khelo India School Games
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: ANJU BALA, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *383

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2018

Khelo India School Games

*383.

SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  decided  to  celebrate  the  year  2018  as  the Year of Sports and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  recently  organised  'Khelo  India  School Games' to provide platform for children to nurture talent and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  constituted  a  Talent  Identification  and Development  Committee  to  scout  for  potential  sportspersons  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d)  the  other  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  naturally  gifted/ talented youngsters to excel in competitive sports and create a pool of highly competitive athletes who can win at the International events?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS {COL. RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (RETD.)}

(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *383  FOR  22.03.2018  ASKED  BY  SHRIMATI  ANJU BALA AND SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV, MPS, REGARDING KHELO INDIA SCHOOL GAMES

- (a) At present, there is no specific proposal to celebrate the year 2018 as the Year of Sports in this Ministry.
- (b) & (c) The 1stKhelo India School Games, 2018, which were held in Delhi from  31st  January  to  8th  February,  2018  witnessed  participation  of  3507 athletes from 29 States and 7 Union Territories (UTs).

A  total  of  563  athletes  have  been  identified/selected  so  far  under  the 'Talent  Search  and  Development'  vertical  of  Khelo  India  Scheme  in  the  first year for support under a Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) programme, majority of whom have been identified from the Khelo India School Games held this year. Process of further scrutinizing these names is underway.

Khelo India vertical of 'Talent Identification and Development' provides for three tiered structure including Talent Identification& Development Committee (TIDC) for selection of the players.

- (d) The other major measures that are being taken by this Ministry to create of  a  pool  of  competitive  athletes  and  help  talented  youngsters  excel  in competitive sports, including International events are as under :-
- i. Financial  assistance  is  given  to  National  Sports  Federations  (NSFs) under the Scheme of Assistance to NSFs for various activities, such as, holding coaching camps  for national level sportspersons, national championships  for  sub-junior,  junior  and  senior  categories,  organizing international tournaments in India, participation in international tournaments  abroad,  procurement  of  sports/sports  science  equipment and  consumables,  engagement  of  foreign  coaches/experts  to  train athletes, etc.
- ii. Sports Authority of India (SAI), an autonomous body under the aegis of Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, is implementing the following sports promotional  schemes  across  the  country  to  identify  talented  sports persons  in  the  age  group  of  8-25  years  and  nurture  them  to  excel  at national and international competitions :
-  National Sports Talent Contest Scheme (NSTC)
-  Army Boys Sports Company (ABSC)
-  SAI Training Centre (STC)
-  Special Area Games (SAG)
-  Extension Centre of STC/SAG
-  Centre of Excellence (COE)
-  National Sports Academies (NSA)

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