Lok Sabha Question No. 2507 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: Assistance to the Talented Sportspersons
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Smt. Smita Uday Wagh

## MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2507 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025

Assistance to the Talented Sportspersons

2507. Smt. Smita Uday Wagh:

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

- (a)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  identify,  promote  and  support talented sportspersons from rural areas across the country;
- (b)  the  types  of  training,  financial  assistance,  infrastructure  and  other facilities  being  provided  to  rural  sportspersons  under  various  central schemes, with specific details for the State of Maharashtra and Jalgaon Lok Sabha constituency;
- (c) whether the Government has any proposal to establish sports stadiums or  sports  complexes  with  modern  facilities  in  rural  areas,  particularly  in Jalgaon and if so, the details and timelines thereof;
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor and whether the Government is willing to reevaluate the need based regional demand and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  whether the Government plans to prioritize infrastructure development for rural youth in underserved regions like Khandesh and if so, the roadmap for its implementation?

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

(a) to (e) 'Sports' being a State subject, the responsibility of development of sports,  including  taking  steps  to  identify,  promote  and  support  talented sportspersons, establishment of sports stadiums or sports complexes with modern  facilities  in  rural  areas  and  infrastructure  development  for  rural youth in underserved regions, rests primarily with the respective State/Union Territory Governments. The Union Government only supplements  their  efforts  by  bridging  critical  gaps.  The  Ministry  of  Youth

Affairs and Sports implements the following schemes for the promotion of sports in the country, which also cater to training, infrastructure and other facilities for rural sportspersons of the country:

- (i) Khelo India - National Programme for Development of Sports;
- (ii) Assistance to National Sports Federations;
- (iii)  Cash  Incentive  to  Medal  Winners  in  International  Sports  Events and their Coaches;
- (iv) National Sports Awards;
- (v) Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons;
- (vi) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Program for Sportspersons;
- (vii) National Sports Development Fund; and
- (viii)  Running  Sports  Training  Centres  through  Sports  Authority  of India.

Details  of  the  above  schemes  are  available  in  the  public  domain  on  the websites of this Ministry and the Sports Authority of India.

Further ,  under  the  'Creation  and  upgradation  of  sports  infrastructure' component  of  the  Khelo  India  Scheme,  this  Ministry  renders  financial support for creation of basic sports infrastructure such as sports stadiums, synthetic  athletic  tracks,  synthetic  hockey  fields,  synthetic  turf  football grounds,  multipurpose  halls,  swimming  pools,  etc.  which  also  covers establishment of sports stadiums or sports complexes  with  modern facilities in rural areas.  Further, under National Sports Development Funds (NSDF), Government  supports various institutions and individuals for creation and upgradation of sports facilities across the country. The details of  the  sports  infrastructure  sanctioned  under  Khelo  India  Scheme  and NSDF,  across  the  country,  including  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra,  are available in public domain on the dashboard of the Ministry at https://mdsd.kheloindia.gov.in and http://www.nsdf.yas.gov.in/nsdfglance.html, respectively. The Khelo India Scheme and NSDF are demanddriven  schemes.  The  proposals  received  from  the  State/UT  Governments and other eligible entities  are  considered  for  financial support,  subject  to their completeness, technical feasibility and availability of funds under the

Scheme.

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