Lok Sabha Question No. 148 (STARRED), answered on 2017-12-28
Subject: Fund for Olympic Preparation
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: PRASUN BANERJEE

## Government of India Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Department of Sports

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO . 148 TO BE ANSWERD ON 28 . 12 . 2017

Fund for Olympic Preparation

- *148. SHRI PRASUN BANERJEE:

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

- (a) whether any fund has been earmarked by the Government for the Athletes preparing for Olympics and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether there are any plans for encouraging sports and budding talent from remote areas; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS [COL . RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (RETD . )]

- (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 148 FOR REPLY ON 28.12.2017 ASKED  BY  SHRI  PRASUN  BANERJEE  REGARDING  FUND  FOR OLYMPIC PREPARATION

- (a): Preparation of Indian sportspersons and teams for participation in  international  events  including  Olympic  Games  is  an  ongoing process. Although, there is no specific earmarking of funds for the athletes  preparing  for  Olympics  the  same  is  met  mainly  from  the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations, under which assistance is given to National Sports Federations (NSFs) for holding coaching camps, procurement of sports and sports science equipments  and  consumables,  engagement  of  foreign  coaches  / experts,  etc.  Government  also  provides  financial  assistance  to identified elite sportspersons under the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) and Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme for personalized training/coaching under national/international coaches, participation in international tournaments held in India and abroad.
- (b) & (c):   The  Special  Area  Games  (SAG)  Scheme  of  SAI  lay emphasis on scouting talent from among the rural and tribal youth in the  age  group  of  10-18  years  belonging  to  the  tribal,  coastal, backward and the remote hilly regions of the country.  Currently there are 20 SAG Centres where 2182 trainees (1236 girls and 946 boys) are being trained and provided with expert sports coaches, playing facilities, consumable and non-consumable sports equipment, boarding and lodging, sports kit, competition exposure, educational expenses, medical and insurance and stipend for day boarders as per the approved scheme norms.

Further,  the  Ministry  is  implementing  the  'Khelo  India  -  National Programme for Development of Sports' Scheme, for development of sports in  the  entire  country,  including  remote  areas.  The  Scheme, inter-alia includes verticals of 'Community Coaching Development' for training Physical Education Teachers (PETs) as Master Trainers through a cascading model of coach development, 'Talent Search and Development', to identify and develop sporting talents from across the country, 'Annual Sports Competitions' which will form a platform for talent spotting at the national level and providing development pathways for gifted and talented children to achieve excellence, and 'Support  to  National  /  Regional  /  State  Sports  Academies'  for facilitating  and  supplementing  Long  Term  Athlete  Development (LTAD) programme.

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