Lok Sabha Question No. 40 (STARRED), answered on 2021-11-30
Subject: Fit India Freedom Run
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Kotha Prabhakar  Reddy, Geetha Viswanath Vanga

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *40 ANSWERED ON 30.11.2021

Fit India Freedom Run

## *40.  SHRI KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY: SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH:

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

- (a) the details of Fit India Freedom Run organized as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on the occassion of 75th anniversary of Independence;
- (b) the details of the districts and villages in the country where the run has been conducted;
- (c)  the  criteria/basis  for  selection  of  the  youth  who  participated  in  the event;
- (d) whether virtual interactions were held with the youngsters from various States during the flag off of the Fit India Freedom Run; and
- (e) whether it is proposed to organise more such events/programmes and if so, the details thereof?

## THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS

## ANSWER { SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR }

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

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *40 ANSWERED ON 30.11.2021 REGARDING ' FIT INDIA  FREEDOM  RUN '  ASKED  BY SHRI  KOTHA  PRABHAKAR  REDDY AND SHRIMATI  VANGA  GEETHA  VISWANATH ,  HON'BLE  MEMBERS  OF  LOK SABHA

(a)  Fit  India  Freedom  Run  was  conceived  in  August,  2020  with  social distancing  becoming  the 'new  normal'  lifestyle,  so  as  to encourage  the citizens to prioritise physical fitness. Fit India Freedom Run was launched on the concept of virtual run, i.e., 'it  can  be  run  anywhere,  anytime'. This year, the 2 nd  edition of the Freedom Run, i.e., Fit India Freedom Run 2.0, was dedicated to the commemoration of the 75 th year of India's independence based on one of the pillars of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, 'Resolves@75'. It was organised  across  the  country  from  13 th   August  to  2 nd   October,  2021. The citizens were exhorted to make a resolve to include physical activity of at least 30 minutes daily in their lives with the motto of 'FITNESS KI DOSE AADHA GHANTA ROZ'. It was virtually  launched  on the  13 th   August,  2021 from National Stadium, New Delhi. The campaign of 51 days had a massive reach of more than 9 crore participation with social media impressions of around 19 crore.

(b)  As  a  part  of  Fit  India  Freedom  Run  2.0,  a  nationwide  campaign  was initiated by this Ministry to encourage  individuals and public/private organisations to participate/organise the Freedom Run at their localities or any  other  convenient  places.  Individuals  and  organisations  were  provided with a registration facility on the Fit India portal for participating in Fit India Freedom Run. However, the participant organisations were registered from one nodal point for uploading the data even though they organised events in various parts of the country. Hence, district and village-wise details of such events are not available with this Ministry. As per the registration details on the  Fit  India  website,  the  details  of  total  events  organised  by  individuals and various organisations and the participation in such events across the country are as follows:

- A  total  of  9,03,26,822  people  participated  in  the  Fit  India  Freedom  Run and they covered a cumulative distance of 19,91,29,888 kilometres.
- The  total  number  organisations  registered  for  conducting  the  Fit  India Freedom Run was 99,506 and the cumulative participation in such events was 9,00,34,986 people.
- The  total  number  of  individuals  registered  for  participating  individually was  2,91,836  and  the  total  distance  covered  by  them  was  31,  28,788 kilometres.

- (c) Fit India is  a  p eople's Movement.  No  criteria  were  required  for participating in any of the initiatives/campaigns under the Fit India Movement. People from all walks of life and all age groups participated in the Fit India Freedom Run campaign by registering on the Fit India website.
- (d) Hon'ble Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur and Hon'ble  Minister  of  State,  Youth  Affairs  &  Sports,  Sh.  Nisith  Pramanik virtually interacted during the launch  on  13 th   August  2021  with  the participants,  including  youths,  selected  by  the  concerned  Organisations, viz.  BSF, ITBP, CISF, CRPF, SSB, Indian Railways, and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan  (NYKS)  from  various  States/UTs  who  joined  from  different locations of national importance or associated with freedom struggle as per the chart below:
- (e) Organising various events, programmes, campaigns, etc. as a part of the Fit  India  Movement  by  this  Ministry  involving  various  organisations  and individuals to spread awareness regarding the importance of fitness, is an ongoing process. Fit India Cyclothons, Fit India Plog Runs, Fit India Schools, Fit  India  Freedom  Runs,  etc.  are  various  such  events  organised  by  this Ministry  every  year  with  an  aim  to  inculcate  the  habit  of  an  active  and healthy lifestyle amongst the citizens of the country.

|   S. No. | Organization   | Location                                         |
|----------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | SSB            | Chitralekha Udyan (Cole Park), Tezpur, Assam     |
|        2 | BSF            | Wagah Border                                     |
|        3 | CRPF           | Chandrashekhar Azad Park, Allahabad, UP          |
|        4 | ITBP           | Kaza post, Distt. Lahual Spiti, Himachal Pradesh |
|        5 | Railways       | Jhansi Railway Station                           |
|        6 | NSG            | Gateway of India, Mumbai                         |
|        7 | CISF           | The Cellular Jail, Port Blair, A&N Islands       |
|        8 | NYKS           | Leh                                              |
|        9 | NYKS           | Chennai                                          |

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