Lok Sabha Question No. 637 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-06
Subject: Participation of Women in Sports
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Faizal P.P. Mohammed, Behanan Benny

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 637 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2024

Participation of Women in Sports

637.  SHRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P: SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

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

- (a)  the details of measures taken by the Government to ensure the active participation of women in sports management and administration,  considering  more  than  eight  National  Sporting
- Federations (NSF) have no women representatives;
- (b)  the manner in which the Government plan to combat the cultural
- and social issues that limit women's participation in sports; and
- (c)    the  details  of  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase recreational sports and fitness for girls, considering more than 76 per cent of adolescent girls do not engage in physical activity?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c): Sports being a State subject, the responsibility of development of sports, including promotion of women athletes in the country,  rests  primarily  with  the  State/Union  Territory  Governments, and the Central Government only supplements their efforts. However, this Ministry is running various sports promotional schemes, across the country, which are gender neutral and promote equal participation for both men and women sportspersons. These schemes include: (i) Khelo

India- National Programme for Development of Sports; (ii) Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs); (iii) Special Awards to Winners in International  Sports  Events  and  their  Coaches;  (iv)  National  Sports Awards; (v) Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons; (vi) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay  National  Sports  Welfare  Scheme;  (vii) National Sports Development Fund; and (viii) Running Sports Training Centres through Sports Authority of India (SAI). Details of these schemes are available in the public domain on the website of the Ministry.

A total of 8639 athletes, including 3375 women, are being trained in 34 sports disciplines under various sports promotional schemes of SAI. The selected athletes are provided support in the form of expert coaches  including  women  coaches,  sports  equipment,  boarding  and lodging etc.

Further, under the Khelo India scheme, there is a dedicated subcomponent of 'Sports for  women'  wherein  emphasis  is  laid  on  such sports disciplines where there is less participation of women. Under this initiative, various Khelo India Women's League - are being conducted. Till now, women leagues have been organised in 19 sports disciplines across the country. 479 competitions have been organized for Women athletes  with  52,086  participants.  This  initiative  has  significantly increased  women  participation  in  sports  across  the  nation  and  has provided ample opportunities to women athletes to compete, learn and grow  in  all  age  groups.  A  portal  named  ASMITA  (Achieving  Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women through Action) was also launched for Women's League on 22 August 2023.Further, the ASMITA logo has also been integrated with Khelo India Women's League with the tagline 'Khel se hi pehchan', thereby giving identity to women athletes through sports. Also, the talented athletes under the Khelo India scheme are selected / identified based  on  the  performance  during  the  Khelo  India  Games,  National Championship,  Open  Selection  Trial  conducted  by  the  concerned National Sports Federations and School Games Federation of India. As of now, a total of 1341 women athletes have been identified under the Khelo India scheme in various sports disciplines.

As a special initiative for encouraging women in sports, the Khelo India  'Duska  Dum'  Sports  competition  was  also  launched  on  the occasion of International Women's Day in March 2023. Over1500 events were  conducted  with  participation  of  more  than  one  lakh  women athletes in various parts of the country. In addition, under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) of this Ministry, support is provided to promising sportspersons irrespective  of  gender,  in  terms  of  modern  sports  sciences,  foreign exposure under experts of respective sports disciplines and participation in international events / competitions recognized by the Indian Olympic Committee (IOC). Out-of-pocket allowance of @ Rs.25,000/- per month is given for athletes under TOPS Developmental Group and @ Rs.50,000/- per month for athletes under TOPS Core Group. Currently,  a  total  of  104  elite  women  athletes  in  various  sports disciplines are covered under TOPS.

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