Lok Sabha Question No. 2585 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-27
Subject: Playgrounds in Schools
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: NEELAM SONKER

## MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2585 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.12.2018

Playgrounds in Schools

†2585. SHRIMATI NEELAM SONKER:

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

- (a) whether all the schools and colleges in the country have playgrounds;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including Uttar Pradesh;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  any  scheme  to provide playgrounds in the schools and colleges in the country which do not have playgrounds; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a) to (d) 'Sports'  is  a  State  subject  promotion  and  development  of sports in the country including development of playgrounds in schools and colleges are primarily the responsibility of the State Governments. The Central Government complements / supplements the efforts of the State Governments. Therefore, this Ministry does not maintain details of playgrounds in all schools and colleges in the country. There is no proposal to introduce a scheme to provide playgrounds in the schools and colleges in the country which do not have playgrounds. However, this Ministry is implementing a Central Sector Scheme, namely, Khelo India which has a dedicated vertical 'Utilisation and Creation/ Upgradation of Sports Infrastructure' for creation of sports infrastructure in the country including sports infrastructure for schools and colleges. Further the Khelo India vertical 'Play Field Development' aims to put in place a strong institutionalized mechanism  for preserving, protecting, developing and promoting playfields. The Salient features of the verticals 'Utilisation and Creation/ Upgradation of  Sports  Infrastructure'  and  'Play  Field  Development'  are  given  at Annexure.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2585 FOR 27.12.2018 ASKED BY SHRIMATI  NEELAM  SONKER,  MP,  REGARDING  PLAYGROUNDS  IN SCHOOLS

Annexure

## Salient feature of Khelo India vertical 'Utilization and Creation of Sports Infrastructure'

Majority of the schools, colleges and even Universities lack proper play grounds as well  as  sporting  infrastructure  in  the  country.  Efforts  will  be  made  to  utilize  the  existing available sports infrastructure through a system of active management committee consisting of players and members of neighborhood community as well all over the country especially those  under  the  control  of  Central  Government/State  Governments.  A  suitable  mechanism will  be evolved to identify gaps in availability of sporting infrastructure across the country and  fill  these  gaps  with  support  under  Khelo  India.    Scheme  of  Khelo  India  will  also  be converged  with  Members  of  Parliament  Local  Area  Development  (MPLAD)  Scheme.  The States  may  also  provide  for  convergence  of  Member  of  Legislative  Assembly  Local  Area Development (MLALAD) Scheme with Khelo India Scheme. This Component will have the following two sub components :

- i. University Centre of Excellence Programme:  For setting up centers of sporting excellence in selected Universities.
- ii. Creation of Appropriate Sports Infrastructure:  Under this component, grants-inaid will be provided to States/ UTs, SAI  etc. to develop critical sports infrastructure and other infrastructure where there are gaps.

## Salient feature of Khelo India vertical 'Play Field Development'

A  National  inventory  of  playfields  and  sports  infrastructure  will  be  prepared  on  a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform for their optimum utilisation. In order to put in  place  a  strong  institutionalized  mechanism  for  preserving,  protecting,  developing  and promoting  playfields, State and  district playfield Associations  will  be created in all States/UTs on the lines of National Playfield Association of India (NPFAI). District and State level  Associations  will  register  existing  play  areas,  map  them  on  the  GIS  platform  and affiliate  with  the  National  Playing  Fields  Association  (NPFAI)  through  district  and  State associations, thereby creating a National database. Development of playgrounds in all gram panchayats can be taken up in convergence with the scheme of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS) and any other  scheme(s)  of  the  State Government/Central Government. It would also include development of model playfields on pilot basis.

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