Lok Sabha Question No. 1554 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-26
Subject: Objectives of Khelo India Games
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Prathap Simha, Annasaheb Shankar Jolle, L.S. Tejasvi Surya, Umesh G. Jadhav, Sanganna Amarappa Karadi, Jaisiddeshwar Shivacharya Mahaswamiji, S. Muniswamy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1554 ANSWERED ON 26.07.2022

Objectives of Khelo India Games

1554.

SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

SHRI ANNASAHEB SHANKAR JOLLE:

SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA:

DR. UMESH G. JADHAV:

SHRI SANGANNA AMARAPPA:

SHRI SHA.BRA.DR.JAI SIDDESHWAR SHIVACHARYA

MAHASWAMIJI:

SHRI S. MUNISWAMY:

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

- (a)  the  objectives  of  running  the  Khelo  India  Games  at  the  school  and university level;
- (b)  whether  the  Government has ensured a pathway for a child to pursue sports professionally at a young age including training for the Olympics and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  studied  the  model  of  any  other  country which has been quite successful in grooming athletes from a young age and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  adopted  any  of  their  models  or  taken inspiration from any of them to set up such a model and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  other  measures taken up by the Government to provide weightage
- for sports as a subject in order to groom athletes from a young age?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS { SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR }

(a)  The  Khelo  India  Games  have  been  organized  under  the  Khelo  India Scheme  to  provide  a  basic  platform  to  showcase  sporting  skills  and accordingly become a platform for talent spotting and providing development pathways for gifted and talented children to achieve excellence.

Till date, four editions of Khelo India School/Youth Games have been conducted. A total 562, 512, 537 and 507 talents have been identified in the Khelo India School Games New Delhi, 2018; Khelo India Youth Games, Pune, 2019;  Khelo  India  Youth  Games,  Guwahati,  2020;  and  Khelo  India  Youth Games, Panchkula, 2021, respectively.

(b) In its Endeavour to train athletes to achieve excellence in Olympics and other  International  Events,  this  Ministry  through  Sports  Authority  of  India (SAI)  has  established  National  Centres  of  Excellence  (NCOEs)  across  the country  to  impart  specialized  training  to  promising  athletes  by  providing state of the art infrastructure and playing facilities, sports science backup, individualized diet prescribed by trained nutritionists and overall supervision  under  the  best  coaches,  qualified  support  staff  and  High Performance Directors.

23 SAI Centres have been upgraded as NCOE across the country to impart specialized training to promising athletes in 13 priority disciplines and 10 additional disciplines.

Also, in order to groom the Grassroot level/discipline appropriate age group athletes,  SAI  Training  Centres  (STC)  are  established  in  States  where  the sports infrastructure is provided by the respective State Governments.

A total of 189 Centres including NCOEs, STCs, Extension Centres, etc. are functional for implementation of Sports Promotional Schemes of SAI.

Further, under Khelo India Scheme,  Khelo India Talent Search and Development  vertical  has  the  mandate  for  identification  of  talent  and nurturing  them  to  attain  highest  levels  of  achievement  at  National  and International  sports  event.  Currently,  2745  athletes  are  supported  under

Talent Search and Development component of Khelo India throughout the country

Apart  from  above,  the  Government,  through  Scheme  of  Assistance  to National  Sports  Federations  (NSFs),  is  providing  assistance  to  recognized NSFs for conduct of Coaching Camps, Foreign Exposures/ training, procurement  of  equipment  etc.    NSFs  select  the  talented  players  for  the National  Coaching  Camps,  International  Exposure/  Competitions  etc.  from across the country.

Further  Government  through  its  Target  Olympic  Podium  Scheme  (TOPS) provides assistance to elite athletes in their preparations for international sporting  events  including  Olympic  and  Paralympic  Games.  These  athletes are  supported  with  funding  from  NSDF  for  customized  training  and  other support not available under normal schemes of the Ministry.

(c) No, Sir.

(d) In view of above, does not arise.

(e)  The  New  Education  Policy-2020  (NEP-2020)  has  included  Physical Education  &  Sports  as  a  core  subject.  At  the  school  level,  the  NEP-2020 proposes  sports  integration,  or  utilizing  physical  activities  in  pedagogical practices,  to  increase  the  students'  cognitive  abilities,  while  promoting their physical and psychological well-being. This policy will help in grooming of an athlete from a young age.

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