Lok Sabha Question No. 1105 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Promotion of Sports Infrastructure in Rural Areas
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Dharambir Singh

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1105

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

Promotion of Sports Infrastructure in Rural Areas

1105. SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:

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

- (a)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  sports infrastructure in rural areas, particularly in the Bhiwani-Mahendergarh Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (b) whether the Government has any plan to provide additional support for talented athletes from rural areas to compete at national and international levels;
- (c) if so, the details thereof, including the budgetary allocation made for this purpose in the current financial year; and
- (d)  the  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  encourage  publicprivate partnerships in the development of sports facilities in rural regions?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS { DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA }

- (a) Sports'  being  a  State  subject,  the  responsibility  of  development  of sports,  including  development of sports infrastructure across the country, rests  primarily  with  the  State/Union  Territory  Governments.  The  Union Government supplements their efforts by bridging critical gaps.  Under the Khelo India Scheme  and  National Sports  Development  Fund  (NSDF), implemented by this Ministry, various sports infrastructure projects, across the country, including in the rural areas and Haryana have been sanctioned. The details are available in public domain on the dashboards of the Ministry at https://mdsd.kheloindia.gov.in and http://www.nsdf.yas.gov.in/nsdfglance.html.

- (b) and (c) The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports implements the following schemes for development of sports in the country, including the rural areas across the country:
- (i) Khelo IndiaNational Programme  for Development of Sports; (ii) Assistance to National Sports Federations; (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 Fund; (vii) National Sports Development Fund; and (viii) Running Sports Training Centres through Sports Authority of India.

The  details  of  the  funds  allocated  and  expenditure  incurred  under  the various  sports  schemes  of  Department  of  Sports  in  the  current  financial year are as under:

(In ₹ Cr.)

|   S.No. | Scheme                                                 |   Budget Estimate |   Revised Estimate |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|--------------------|
|       1 | Khelo India                                            |             900   |             800    |
|       2 | Assistance to National Sports Federations              |             340   |             340    |
|       3 | Special Cash award                                     |              35   |              38.65 |
|       4 | Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons                   |               4   |               4    |
|       5 | National Sports Development Fund                       |              18   |              18    |
|       6 | Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Sports Welfare Fund |               2   |               2    |
|       7 | Sports Authority of India                              |             822.6 |             815    |

Further,  Government is  providing additional support to athletes  from rural areas  to  pursue  sports  as  a  career  by  providing  various  direct/indirect financial support through various schemes/programmes as under:

- I. Under the component 'Khelo India Centres & Sports Academies' of Khelo India Scheme the talent identified under Khelo India Scheme are given options to join the accredited Khelo India academies and also  provided  financial  assistance  @  Rs.  6.28  Lacs  per  annum [including Rs 1.20 Lacs as Out of Pocket Allowance (OPA)] towards training  expenses,  coaching,  competitions  exposure,  education, equipment  support,  scientific  support  and  etc.  Also,  under  the Khelo India Centre vertical of Khelo India Scheme, Past Champion Athletes (PCAs) are hired as coaches/mentors for young athletes in Khelo India Centres (KICs) who train these athletes as well as run

- the  KIC  in  an  autonomous  manner  or  with  the  support  of  the State/UT Sports Department.
- II. Under  the  Target  Olympic  Podium  Scheme  (TOPS),  Government provides assistance to India's top athletes for their preparations for Olympic  and  Paralympic  Games.  Selected  athletes  are  supported with  funding  from  National  Sports  Development  Fund  (NSDF)  for customized training and other support not available under normal schemes of the Ministry. Out of pocket allowance (OPA) is paid @ Rs.  50,000/-  per  month  to  Core  group  athletes.  Apart  from  OPA, entire expenditure for the training plan submitted by the sportsperson, which is considered and approved by Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), is met under TOPS.
- III. Under  the  scheme  of  Assistance  to  National  Sports  Federations (ANSF) financial assistance are given to National Sports Federations (NSFs) for the training of athletes, which includes all requisite support for training, participation in International events, conduct of National Championships, conduct of International tournaments  in  India,  engagement  of  Foreign  Coaches/support staff, scientific & medical support etc.
- IV. Under  the  Pandit  Deendayal  Upadhyay  National  Welfare  Fund  for Sportspersons  (PDUNWFS)  Scheme,  Government  provides  direct 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.
- V. Government provides financial  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 eligible exsportspersons.
- VI. Under the scheme of Cash Awards to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches, Government provides  cash  award  to  outstanding  sportspersons  to  encourage and motivate them for higher achievements and to act as inspiring role models for attracting the younger generation to take up sports. Under  this  scheme,  cash  award  ranging  from  Rs.  20,000/-  to

Rs.75,00,000/- are granted to sportsperson who have won medals at international events.

VII. 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.

(d) No such initiative such as Public-Private Partnerships have been taken in this Ministry.

*****