Lok Sabha Question No. 2638 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Special Award for Sportspersons
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Supriya Sadanand Sule, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare

## Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

## Government of India Department of Sports

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2638

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2022

## Special Award for Sportspersons

## 2638. SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S.:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

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

- (a) whether the Government has introduced any scheme for giving special awards to the medal winners in international sports events and their coaches;
- if so, the details thereof along with the awards given during the
- (b) last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether introduction of this scheme has boosted Indian sports in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has failed to support the sportspersons after their retirement from active sports and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether lack of support from the Government has forced many youths  not  to  select  sports  as  their  career  and  if  so,  the  details thereof  and  the  corrective  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard; and
- (f) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  formulate  a  policy  to honour  athletes/  sportspersons  winning  medals  in  international events?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS [SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR]

(a) to (c): Yes, Sir. The Government is implementing the Scheme of Cash Awards to Medal Winners in international sporting events and their Coaches.

The  details  of  the  scheme  during  the  last  three  years  and    the current year are given in the Table below:

| Name of the scheme                                                                     | Number of sportspersons benefitted during the last three years and current year   | Number of sportspersons benefitted during the last three years and current year   | Number of sportspersons benefitted during the last three years and current year   | Number of sportspersons benefitted during the last three years and current year   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                                        | 2019-20                                                                           | 2020-21                                                                           | 2021-22                                                                           | 2022-23 (as on 27.07.2022)                                                        |
| Scheme of Cash Award to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches | 599                                                                               | 391                                                                               | 478                                                                               | 176                                                                               |

This scheme has given a boost to Indian sports as reflected in the best-ever  medal  tally  of  India  at  Tokyo  Olympics,  2020,  and  the recent  performance  and  medals  won  by  Indian  athletes  at  various international sporting events.

(d):  Government  provides  support  to  the  sportspersons  after  their retirement  from  active  sports  through  the  scheme  of  Pension  to Meritorious Sportspersons, with the objective of providing an assured monthly income through annuity for outstanding sportspersons.  Under the existing scheme, monthly pension ranging from Rs. 12,000/- to Rs. 20,000/- is provided to ex-sportspersons.

(e):  Government is encouraging Youth to select sports as a career by providing support through various  schemes/programmes  as under:

- i. The  Khelo  India  Scheme  has  the  twin  objectives  of  mass participation and promotion of excellence in sports. A financial assistance  @  Rs.  6,28,400  (including  Rs.  1,20,000  as  Out  of Pocket  Allowances  (OPA)  to the Athlete)  per  annum  per athlete  is  being  provided  to  the  Khelo  India  Academies  for training of the selected Khelo India Athletes.
- ii. Under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Government provides assistance to India's top athletes in their preparation  for  Olympic  and  Paralympic  Games.  OPA  of  Rs. 50,000/-  (Rupees  fifty  thousand  only)  per  month  to  the  TOPS Core  Group  athletes and  Rs. 25,000/(Rupees  twenty-five thousand  only)  a  month  to  the  TOPS  Development  Group athletes is given.
- iii. Government provides assistance to elite sportspersons preparing for major international events such as the Olympics, the  Asian  Games,  and  the  Commonwealth  Games  etc.  by providing funding support through its Scheme of Assistance to National Sports    Federations (NSFs). Under the    Scheme, identified promising sportspersons/teams are provided all requisite facilities for their preparation including a wholesome nutritious  diet,  food  supplements,  equipments,  state-of-the-art infrastructure, lodging, travelling facilities, services of reputed Indian and foreign coaches/supporting staff, scientific & medical  support,  sports  kit,  etc.  besides  financial  assistance for  their  training  abroad,  and  participation  in  international competitions in India and abroad.
- iv. Equipment support is provided to the athletes in their respective  sport  disciplines  under  the  Scheme  as  per  the proposals  received.  Also,  specific  equipments  requested  by athletes for training &  competition are also provided as recommended by the NSFs under TOPS.
- v. Under  the  Pandit  Deendayal  Upadhyay  National  Welfare  Fund for  Sportspersons  (PDUNWFS)  Scheme,  Government  provides financial assistance (upto Rs.2.50 lakh) to sportspersons living in  indigent  circumstances  for  training,  procurement for sports equipment,  participation  in  national  and  international  sports events, etc.

(f):  Apart  from  the  above  schemes,  in  order  to  honour  athletes/ sportspersons winning medals in international  events,  Government also  confers  the  National  Sports  Awards  every  year  under  various categories  like  Major  Dhyan  Chand  Khel  Ratna  Award,  Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award and Dhyan Chand Award.

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