Lok Sabha Question No. 186 (STARRED), answered on 2023-03-14
Subject: Financial Assitance to Sportspersons
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. †*186 ANSWERED ON 14.03.2023

Financial Assistance to Sportspersons

†*186. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

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

- (a) whether the Government is providing financial assistance to the sportspersons;
- (b) if so, the details of such assistance provided to sportspersons during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT and sport-wise;
- (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase the financial assistance  to national and  international level sportspersons; and
- (d) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  attract sportspersons  by  providing  incentives  commensurate  with  the existing conditions?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

----

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS  (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  †*186  FOR  ANSWER  ON  14.03.2023  'REGARDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SPORTSPERSONS' ASKED BY SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

- (a) to (b) Yes Sir. The Government implements the followings schemes for providing financial assistance to the sportspersons:
1. The scheme of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for  Sportspersons  (PDUNWFS)  is  being  implemented  with  the following objectives:
- (i) To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons now living in indigent circumstances;
- (ii) To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons injured during the period of their training for competitions and also during the competitions, depending on the nature of the injury;
- (iii) To provide suitable assistance to sportspersons for medical treatment;
- (iv) To provide suitable assistance to promote welfare of sportspersons generally in order to alleviate distress among them and their dependents in indigent circumstances;
- (v) To  provide  assistance  to  sportspersons  living  in  indigent circumstances  for  training,  procurement  for  sports  equipment, participation in national and international sports events etc.

The details and the number of sportspersons who have benefitted from  the  Fund  along  with  the  quantum  of  funds provided  to  them during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT and sport- wise is given at Annexure-I.

2. Under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), the Government provides assistance to India's top athletes in their preparations for Olympic and Paralympic Games. Out of pocket allowance (OPA) is paid @Rs. 50,000/- per month to Core group athletes. Apart from OPA, entire expenditure for the training plan submitted by the

sportsperson, which is considered and approved by Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), is met under TOPS. At present, 98 individual athletes as core  group  have  been  selected  under  the  scheme.  Also,  Under Development Group to ensure a focused approach in India's Olympic preparation the talent identification of 165 best sporting talents has been completed. TOPS Development Group athletes are receiving OPA of Rs. 25,000/- per month and customized training support at National Centre of Excellence (NCOE).

The details of such assistance provided to sportspersons during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT and sport-wise is attached as Annexure -II.

3. Under Khelo India scheme, talented athletes selected from various avenues like Khelo India Games, National Championships conducted by the respective National Sports Federations (NSFs) etc. in 21 sports disciplines (including para sports) are provided sports scholarship in the form of financial assistance of Rs. 10,000 /- Per month as Out of Pocket allowance (OPA).
2. (c) to (d) The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports implements the following schemes to increase financial assistance to national and international level sportspersons and to attract sportspersons by providing incentives commensurate with the existing conditions:
1. Scheme of Cash Awards to Winners in International sports events and  their  Coaches-  The  objective  of  the  Cash  Awards  is  to incentivize the achievements  of outstanding sportspersons, encourage and motivate them for higher achievements and to act as inspiring role models for attracting the younger generation to take up sports.
2. National Sports Awards:
5. (i) Major  Dhyan  Chand  Khel  Ratna  Award  introduced  in  1991-92  to recognize the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field  of  sports  by  a  sportsperson  over  a  period  of  four  years immediately preceding the year. The awardees are given a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress and award money of ₹25 lakhs.
6. (ii) Arjuna Award was instituted in 1961 and is given to players who have exhibited good performance consistently for the previous four years at the international level and have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline. The awardees are given a statuette,  a  certificate,  ceremonial  dress  and  award  money  of  ₹15 lakhs.

(iii) Dronacharya  Award  was  instituted  in  1985  to  honour  eminent coaches  who  have  done  outstanding  and  meritorious  work  on  a consistent basis and enabled sportspersons to excel in International events  and  to  motivate  coaches  to  dedicate  themselves  with  a singularity  of  purpose  of  raising  the  standard  of  sportspersons  to highest performance in International events and thus bring glory to the country. The awardees are given a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash prize of ₹15 lakhs (lifetime) and ₹10 lakhs (Regular).

- (iv) Dhyan Chand Award was instituted in 2002 to honour those sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and  continue  to  contribute  to  promotion  of  sports  even  after  their retirement  from  active  sporting  career.  The  awardees  are  given  a statuette,  a  certificate,  ceremonial  dress  and  award  money  of  ₹10 lakh.
- (v) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy was instituted as a running trophy in 1956-57 and is given to top overall performing university which has given the best all round performance during the year of award in the inter-university  tournament.  The  winner  receives  a  replica  of  the Trophy, a certificate and a cash prize of ₹15 lakhs. First runner up and second runner up universities receives cash prize of ₹ 7.5 lakhs and ₹ 4.5 lakhs respectively
- (vi) Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar was established in 2009 and is awarded to Corporates, voluntary organizations, Sports Control Boards, NGOs, Sports bodies at State and National level for promotion and development of Sports in four categories (a)  Identification  and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent (b) Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility (c) Employment of sportspersons and sports welfare measures (d) Sports for Development.

3. Scheme of Pension to Meritorious Sportsperson- The objective of the scheme is to provide assured monthly income through annuity to outstanding sportspersons that has become imperative due to the fact that sportspersons spend prime of their youth in pursuit of intensive training, sacrificing other beneficial opportunities normally available. The assured monthly income  will be a compensation  for the opportunities spurned by them in pursuit of their high ambition and achievement in sports. Under the scheme monthly pension ranging from Rs. 12,000/- to Rs. 20,000/- is provided to the ex-sportsperson.

*****

ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) and (B) OF THE LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  †*186  FOR  ANSWER  ON  14.03.2023 'REGARDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SPORTSPERSONS' ASKED BY SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

| S. No.   | Financial Year   | State/UT        | No. of Sportsp ersons   | Sports Discipline   | Amount (in Rs)   |
|----------|------------------|-----------------|-------------------------|---------------------|------------------|
| 1.       | 2019-20          | Assam           | 1                       | Archery             | 1,62,415         |
| 2.       |                  | Delhi           | 1                       | Football            | 4,00,000         |
| 3.       |                  | Haryana         | 1                       | Wushu               | 1,00,000         |
| 4.       |                  | Haryana         | 1                       | Wrestling           | 1,00,000         |
| 5.       |                  | Jammu & Kashmir | 2                       | (Para) Basketball   | 6,50,000         |
| 6.       |                  | Karnataka       | 1                       | Badminton           | 10,00,000        |
| 7.       |                  | Kerala          | 1                       | Volleyball          | 2,50,000         |
| 8.       |                  | Punjab          | 1                       | Athletics           | 1,50,000         |
| 9.       |                  | Rajasthan       | 1                       | Archery             | 5,00,000         |
| 10.      |                  | Tamil Nadu      | 1                       | Athletics           | 2,20,000         |
| 11.      |                  | Telangana       | 1                       | Para                | 5,00,000         |
| 12.      |                  |                 | 1                       | Badminton Ball      | 5,00,000         |
| 13.      |                  |                 | 1                       | Badminton Archery   | 3,00,000         |
| 14.      |                  | Uttar           | 1                       | Shooting            | 5,00,000         |
| 15.      |                  | Pradesh         | 1                       | Athletics           | 10,00,000        |
| 16.      |                  |                 |                         |                     |                  |
| 17. 18.  | 2020-21          | Andhra Pradesh  | 1                       | Para Athletics      | 5,00,000         |
| 19.      |                  |                 | 1                       | Deaf Tennis         | 2,50,000         |
| 20.      |                  | Bangalore       | 1                       | Badminton           | 10,00,000        |
| 21.      |                  | Bihar           | 1                       | Shooting            | 2,50,000         |
| 22.      |                  | Chhattisgarh    | 1                       | Mini Golf           | 45,000           |
| 23.      |                  | Delhi           | 1                       | Archery             | 5,00,000         |
| 24.      |                  |                 | 2                       | Athletics           | 5,50,000         |
| 25.      |                  |                 | 1                       | Hockey              | 10,00,000        |

| 26.         |                |   2 | Wrestling      | 7,10,000   |
|-------------|----------------|-----|----------------|------------|
| 27.         |                |   1 | Football       | 2,50,000   |
| 28.         | Haryana        |   1 | Wushu          | 5,00,000   |
| 29.         |                |   1 | Skiing         | 2,50,000   |
| 30.         |                |   5 | Wrestling      | 12,00,000  |
| 31.         | Jammu          |   1 | Pencaksilat    | 80,000     |
| 32.         | Jharkhand      |   1 | Cyclist        | 2,50,000   |
| 33.         |                |   1 | Badminton      | 5,00,000   |
| 34.         | Karnataka      |   1 | Athletics      | 2,50,000   |
| 35.         | Madhya Pradesh |   1 | Wrestling      | 2,50,000   |
| 36.         | Maharashtra    |   1 | Body Building  | 2,00,000   |
| 37.         |                |   1 | Badminton      | 5,13,000   |
| 38.         | Manipur        |   2 | Football       | 10,00,000  |
| 39.         | Punjab         |   1 | Para Athletics | 2,50,000   |
| 40.         |                |   1 | Athletics      | 6,00,000   |
| 41.         | Rajasthan      |   1 | Athletics      | 2,50,000   |
| 42.         |                |   1 | Shooting       | 2,50,000   |
| 43.         | Uttar          |   1 | Boxing         | 5,00,000   |
| 44.         | Pradesh        |   1 | Athletics      | 5,00,000   |
| 45.         |                |   1 | Archery        | 5,00,000   |
| 46.         |                |   1 | Netball        | 2,50,000   |
| 47.         |                |   1 | Shooting       | 250000     |
| 48.         | West Bengal    |   1 | Shooting       | 250000     |
| 49. 2021-22 | Ahmedabad      |   1 | Soft Tennis    | 2,50,000   |
| 50.         | Assam          |   1 | Athletics      | 2,50,000   |
| 51.         | Bhopal         |   1 | Hockey         | 2,50,000   |
| 52.         |                |   1 | Karate         | 2,50,000   |
| 53.         | Bihar          |   1 | Para Athletics | 2,50,000   |
| 54.         |                |   1 | Wushu          | 1,00,000   |
| 55.         | Chhattisgarh   |   2 | Softball       | 1,96,000   |
| 56.         | Delhi          |   1 | Hockey         | 5,00,000   |
| 57.         |                |   1 | Pencaksilat    | 2,50,000   |
| 58.         |                |   1 | Taekwondo      | 1,50,900   |
| 59.         |                |   1 | Judo           | 250,000    |
| 60.         | Haryana        |   7 | Football       | 24,66,000  |
| 61.         |                |   1 | Power Lifting  | 5,00,000   |
| 62.         | Jammu          |   1 | Taekwondo      | 2,00,000   |

|   63. |                | Jharkhand         |   2 | Football       | 5,00,000   |
|-------|----------------|-------------------|-----|----------------|------------|
|    64 |                | Karnataka         |   1 | Power Lifting  | 2,50,000   |
|    65 |                |                   |   1 | Badminton      | 2,42,000   |
|    66 |                |                   |   1 | Judo           | 97,910     |
|    67 |                |                   |   1 | Kabaddi        | 2,00,000   |
|    68 |                |                   |   2 | Para Athletics | 5,00,000   |
|    69 |                | Maharashtra       |   1 | Gymnastics     | 5,00,000   |
|    70 |                |                   |   1 | Hockey         | 6,50,000   |
|    71 |                |                   |   1 | Fencing        | 4,00,000   |
|    72 |                |                   |   1 | Wrestling      | 250,000    |
|    73 |                | Manipur           |   4 | Football       | 9,00,000   |
|    74 |                | Mumbai            |   1 | Gymnastics     | 2,50,000   |
|    75 |                | New Delhi         |   1 | Archery        | 250,000    |
|    76 |                | Pune              |   1 | Wushu          | 2,50,000   |
|    77 |                |                   |   1 | Football       | 2,50,000   |
|    78 |                | Punjab            |   1 | Para Athletics | 3,00,000   |
|    79 |                |                   |   1 | Hockey         | 500,000    |
|    80 |                | Tamil Nadu        |   1 | Table Tennis   | 2,50,000   |
|    81 |                | Uttar             |   1 | Hockey         | 5,00,000   |
|    82 |                | Pradesh           |   1 | Para Shooter   | 5,00,000   |
|    83 |                |                   |   1 | Ju jitsu       | 2,50,000   |
|    84 |                |                   |   1 | Gymnastics     | 2,50,000   |
|    85 |                |                   |   1 | Taekwondo      | 250,000    |
|    86 |                |                   |   1 | Table Tennis   | 250,000    |
|    87 |                |                   |   1 | Karate         | 250,000    |
|    88 |                |                   |   1 | Shooting       | 2,50,000   |
|    89 |                |                   |   1 | Football       | 2,50,000   |
|    90 |                | West Bengal       |   1 | Para Athletics | 250,000    |
|    91 |                |                   |   1 | Chess          | 250,000    |
|    92 | 2022-23 (as on | Andhra Pradesh    |   1 | Power Lifting  | 2,50,000   |
|    93 | 09.03.23)      | Arunachal Pradesh |   1 | Karate         | 1,50,000   |
|    94 |                | Assam             |   1 | Hockey         | 1,00,000   |
|    95 |                | Bangalore         |   1 | Hockey         | 2,50,000   |
|    96 |                | Bihar             |   1 | Karate         | 1,50,000   |

| 97.       | Chandigarh       | 1   | Para Table Tennis           | 1,25,000           |
|-----------|------------------|-----|-----------------------------|--------------------|
| 98.       |                  | 2   | Karate                      | 100,000            |
| 99.       | Delhi            | 2   | Athletics                   | 5,00,000           |
| 100.      |                  |     | Boxing                      | 2,50,000           |
| 101.      |                  | 1   |                             |                    |
| 102.      |                  | 1   | Tennis                      | 2,50,000           |
| 103.      |                  | 1   | Badminton                   | 2,50,000           |
| 104.      |                  | 1   | Wushu                       | 2,50,000           |
| 105.      |                  | 1   | Table Tennis                | 2,50,000           |
| 106.      |                  | 1   | Volleyball                  | 1,50,000           |
| 107.      | Haryana          | 1   | Para Athletics              | 2,50,000           |
| 108.      |                  | 3   | Football                    | 4,50,000           |
| 109.      |                  | 1   | Archery                     | 4,00,000           |
| 110.      | Himachal Pradesh | 1   | Athletics                   | 2,50,000           |
| 111.      |                  | 1   | Taekwondo                   | 2,00,000           |
| 112.      | Jammu            | 1   | Power Lifting               | 2,00,000           |
| 113.      |                  | 2   | Taekwondo                   | 4,50,000           |
| 114.      |                  | 1   | Kickboxing                  | 2,50,000           |
| 115.      | Jharkhand        | 1   | Football                    | 2,50,000           |
| 116.      | Karnataka        | 1   | Para Swimming               | 2,00,000           |
| 117. 118. |                  | 1   | Kayaking & Canoeing         | 1,50,000           |
| 119.      | Kerala Madhya    | 1 1 | Para Athlete Para Athletics | 1,00,000 1,50,000  |
| 120.      | Pradesh          | 1   | Badminton                   | 2,50,000           |
| 121.      | Maharashtra      | 1   | Table Tennis                | 1,50,000           |
| 122.      |                  | 2   | Gymnastics                  | 3,00,000           |
| 123.      |                  | 1   | Archery                     | 1,50,000           |
| 124.      |                  |     | Rugby                       |                    |
|           |                  | 1   | Sevens                      | 1,00,000           |
| 125.      |                  | 1   | Badminton                   | 5,00,000 2,50,000  |
| 126.      |                  | 1   | Wrestling                   |                    |
| 127.      | Punjab           | 1   | Basketball                  | 1,50,000           |
| 128. 129. | Tamil Nadu       | 2 1 | Football Table Tennis       | 2,00,000 10,00,000 |
| 130.      |                  | 1   | Karate                      | 1,60,000           |

|   131. |             |   1 | Kabaddi                    | 50,000   |
|--------|-------------|-----|----------------------------|----------|
|    132 | Uttar       |   1 | Athletics                  | 2,50,000 |
|    133 | Pradesh     |   1 | Power Lifting              | 1,50,000 |
|    134 |             |   1 | Athletics                  | 1,50,000 |
|    135 |             |   1 | Para Canoying and Kayaking | 4,00,000 |
|    136 |             |   1 | Kho Kho                    | 1,50,000 |
|    137 | Uttarakhand |   1 | Karate                     | 1,50,000 |
|    138 | West Bengal |   3 | Athletics                  | 3,26,000 |

……

## ANNEXURE-II

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (B) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION †*186 FOR ANSWER ON 14.03.2023 'REGARDING FINANCIAL  ASSISTANCE  TO  SPORTSPERSONS'  ASKED  BY  SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

| TOPS Expenditure   | TOPS Expenditure   | TOPS Expenditure             | TOPS Expenditure             | TOPS Expenditure             | TOPS Expenditure             |
|--------------------|--------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
| S.N.               | Sports Discipline  | 2019-20                      | 2020-21                      | 2021-22 (till 31.03.2022)    | 2022-23                      |
|                    |                    | Total Sanctioned Expenditure | Total Sanctioned Expenditure | Total Sanctioned Expenditure | Total Sanctioned Expenditure |
| 1                  | Archery            | 0.66                         | 0.76                         | 1.29                         | 1.01                         |
| 2                  | Athletics          | 1.25                         | 1.7                          | 2.66                         | 2.04                         |
| 3                  | Badminton          | 1.33                         | 2.14                         | 2.89                         | 1.1                          |
| 4                  | Boxing             | 0.35                         | 1.08                         | 1.37                         | 1.02                         |
| 5                  | Cycling            | 0.17                         | 0.1                          | 0.12                         | 0.32                         |
| 6                  | Golf               | 0                            | 0                            | 0.07                         | 0.17                         |
| 7                  | Judo               | 0                            | 0.14                         | 0.1                          | 0.06                         |
| 8                  | Para Sports        | 3.05                         | 2.57                         | 3.11                         | 2.12                         |
| 9                  | Gymnastics         | 0                            | 0                            | 0.01                         | 0                            |
| 10                 | Rowing             | 0                            | 0.06                         | 0.22                         | 0.19                         |
| 11                 | Shooting           | 1.99                         | 3.05                         | 3.38                         | 2.14                         |
| 12                 | Table Tennis       | 0.63                         | 0.53                         | 0.39                         | 0.81                         |
| 13                 | Tennis             | 0.7                          | 0.78                         | 0.84                         | 0.17                         |
| 14                 | Weightlifting      | 0.37                         | 0.56                         | 0.64                         | 0.8                          |
| 15                 | Wrestling          | 1.84                         | 1.4                          | 1.54                         | 0.9                          |
| 16                 | Swimming           | 0.07                         | 0.7                          | 0.71                         | 0.63                         |

| 17    | Squash        |     0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|-------|---------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
| 18    | Hockey        |  0    |  0.09 |  1.59 |  0    |
| 19    | Equestrian    |  0    |  0    |  0.03 |  0.06 |
| 20    | Sailing       |  0    |  0    |  0.89 |  0.26 |
| 21    | Fencing       |  0    |  0    |  0.35 |  1.86 |
| 22    | Luge Sports   |  0    |  0    |  0    |  0    |
| 23    | Wushu         |  0    |  0    |  0    |  0    |
| 23    | Alpine Skiing |  0    |  0    |  0.17 |  0    |
| Total | Total         | 12.41 | 15.66 | 22.39 | 15.64 |

****