Lok Sabha Question No. 1162 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-09
Subject: Promotion of Sports amongst Children from Tribal Areas
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: BODH SINGH BHAGAT, RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1162 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2017

Promotion of Sports amongst Children from Tribal Areas

†1162. SHRI BODHSINGH BHAGAT:

SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  special  scheme  and  facilities  for promotion  of  sports  amongst  children  aged  between  9  to  14  years particularly from tribal areas in the country;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to set up sports academies/institutions in the respective States for promoting their popular games amongst the children; and
- (c)  if  so,  the  details thereof along with the States/UTs identified for the purpose?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (SHRI VIJAY GOEL)

- (a) A Scheme called 'Khelo India -National Programme for Development of Sports' is being implemented by this Ministry as a Central Sector  Scheme  from  the  current  financial  year  2016-17.  This  Scheme, inter-alia provides for holding of sports competitions in two age groups of (i)  under 14  and (ii) under 17 all over India  to  encourage  mass participation of both boys and girls in Sports as well as creation of sports infrastructure,  viz.,  Synthetic  Athletic  Track,  Synthetic  Hockey  Field, Synthetic  Turf  Football  Ground,  Multipurpose  hall,  Swimming  pool,  etc. The Scheme caters to the entire country, including tribal areas.

In  addition,  the  Sports  Authority  of  India  (SAI),  an  autonomous organization  under  aegis  of  the  Ministry,  also  implements  the  following sports promotional schemes:

- i. National Sports Talent Contest Scheme  (NSTC) - for  Sub-Junior level trainees
- ii. Army Boys Sports Company Scheme (ABSC) - for Sub-Junior level trainees
3. iii.
4. SAI Training Centres Scheme (STC) - for Junior level trainees
5. iv.
6. Extension Centre of STC /SAG
- v. Special Area Games Scheme (SAG) - for Junior level trainees

SAI schemes envisage induction of talent from 8-25 years, therefore, the children from 9-14 years are covered under SAI schemes. The majority of the sports persons selected under the above schemes are identified from the rural and backward and tribal area of the country and provided regular training under residential and non residential basis. The Special Area Games Scheme of SAI is, however, implemented to select sports talent mainly from the tribal, rural, coastal and remote backward and hilly areas.

(b) & (c) Sports  being  a  state  subject,  the  responsibility  to  set  up sports  Centres/  sports  academies  in the respective states  lies  with the concerned State government.

However, in order to promote sports on single discipline basis, SAI has introduced National Sports Academy (NSA) scheme with state of the art  sports  facilities.    The  scheme  is  implemented  in  collaboration  with concerned  National  Sports  Federations  and  possibly  through  Corporate Social  Responsibility  (CSR)  partners.  10  such  Academies  in  Swimming, Cycling,    Athletics  (Sprints),  Cue  Sports  and  Hockey  in  Delhi,  Athletics (Middle and Long distance) at Bhopal, Athletics (Sprints and Jumps) and Golf at Thiruvananthapuram, Boxing at Rohtak, SAI Gopichand Badminton

Academy at Hyderabad have already been established.

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