Lok Sabha Question No. 1649 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-29
Subject: Support to Womens’ Football Team
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRRED QUESTION NO. 1649 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2021

Support to Womens ' Football Team

1649. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

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

- a) the  details  of  the  support,  whether  financial  or  otherwise,  that the  Government  has  provided  for  the  return  of  competitive women's sports or for the maintenance of female athletes in the country  since  the  imposition  of  the  first  lockdown  month  and state-wise;
- b) whether  the  Government  has  given  permissions  or  allowed  for any women's national team camps or competitive tournaments to take place during this period;
- c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  specific  measures  to build sustainable structures in women' s football at the grassroots level;
- d) If so, the details thereof;
- e) If not the reasons therefor;
- f) whether the Government has provided any support, financial or otherwise, to the women's football team that was set to compete in the now postponed U17 FIFA Women's World Cup; and
7. (g)   if not, reasons therefor;

## ANSWER MINISTER FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a) Government sanctioned funds for conduct of  Coaching Camps and  Foreign  Exposures/Competition  to  the  Indian  Senior  Women Team under the scheme for Financial Assistance to National Sports Federation(NSFs)  for  the  year  2020-21,  as  per  the  details  given below: -

- (i) 03 National Camps amounting to ₹ 1,06,95,140/-.
- (ii) 02 Foreign Exposures amounting to ₹ 1,25,92,286/-.

(b)  By  following  the  Standard  Operating  Procedures  (SOPs)  and Guidelines for sports related activities in the COVID-19 environment, National team camps and competitive tournaments were organised by  respective  National  Sports  Federations  (NSFs)  in  coordination with Sports Authority of India (SAI) during this period. This was an essential component  of Olympic preparation and selection of athletes to represent the country for Tokyo Olympic 2020.

(c) to (e) Women athletes are trained in several disciplines included in  its  Sports  Promotional  Schemes  such  as  National  Centre  of Excellence (NCOE), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Extension Centre of STC etc.

SAI Training Centre, Tinsukia and St. Teresa Girls Higher Secondary School, Darjeeling (Extension Centre of STC) have been exclusively designated for women players in football discipline.

The details of Women Football players benefited under SAI Schemes are provided at Annexure - I.

Further,  under  the  vertical 'Sports  for  Women' of  the  Khelo  India Scheme, Under-17 Girls Football league took place in 2019-20 in 9 States/Union  Territories  viz.,  Punjab,  Manipur,  West  Bengal,  Delhi,

Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Mizoram and Karnataka where 140 teams participated and 414 matches were played. (f)  &  (g) ₹ 14.17 crore was allotted for the preparation of Under-17 Indian FIFA Women's World Cup Team .

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Annexure - I

## Information  as  per  para  (c)  to  (e)    of  the  Unstarred  Question  No. 1649 to be answered on 29.07.2021 asked by Dr. Shashi Tharoor

## THE DETAILS OF WOMEN FOOTBALL PLAYERS UNDER SAI SCHEMES

| Centre Name                                                                   | Residential   |       |       | Non-Residential   | Non-Residential   | Non-Residential   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|-------|-------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
|                                                                               | Boys          | Girls | Total | Boys              | Girls             | Total             |
| Manipur                                                                       |               |       |       |                   |                   |                   |
| National Centres of Excellence, Imphal                                        | 24            | 16    | 40    | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Odisha                                                                        |               |       |       |                   |                   |                   |
| SAI Training Centre, Cuttack                                                  | 17            | 18    | 35    | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Jharkhand                                                                     |               |       |       |                   |                   |                   |
| SAI Training Centre, Ranchi                                                   | 10            | 20    | 30    | 3                 | 5                 | 8                 |
| Assam                                                                         |               |       |       |                   |                   |                   |
| SAI Training Centre, Golaghat                                                 | 17            | 0     | 17    | 5                 | 0                 | 5                 |
| SAI Training Centre, Kokrajhar                                                | 25            | 22    | 47    | 7                 | 2                 | 9                 |
| SAI Training Centre, Tinsukia                                                 | 0             | 24    | 24    | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| West Bengal                                                                   |               |       |       |                   |                   |                   |
| St.Teresa Girls Higher Secondary School, Darjeeling (Extension Centre of STC) | 0             | 0     | 0     | 0                 | 13                | 13                |