Lok Sabha Question No. 3933 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-10
Subject: Training Institutes
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: M. CHANDRAKASI

## MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3933 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2016

## Training Institutes

3933. SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI:

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

- (a) the objectives for appointing a committee under Ashwini Nachhappa to study the status of SAI Training Centres (STCs) in the country and its terms of references;
- (b) the time by which report of the expert committee is expected to be submitted to the Government; and
- (c) the steps taken/being taken to improve training facilities in STCs and for fair selection of candidates?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI VIJAY GOEL)

- (a) In  view  of  the  tragic  incident  which  occurred  at  the  Sports Authority of India (SAI) Special Area Games (SAG) Water Sports centre at Alappuzha, Kerala on 06.05.2015 wherein 4 girl inmates attempted to commit  suicide  out  of  which  one  trainee  subsequently  died  in  the hospital, a committee of seven persons under the chairpersonship of Ms. Ashwini Nachappa has been constituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) to study the present status of SAI training centres and recommend measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future.

Terms of reference for the committee:-

The committee should visit at least 1 or 2 centers in each region (North, South, East, West), study the issues involved and give recommendations on the following:

- (i) Issues of athletes at the training centers and recommendations for resolving them, management of their stress levels, quality of food served, timely availability of dietary supplements, cleanliness, recreational facilities, athlete grievance redressal, anti-sexual harassment measures, overall security, systems,  procedures, checks and balances, system of reporting and monitoring required to ensure holistic development and well being of athletes.
- (ii) Any other recommendation which the committee deems fit.
- (b) The committee has submitted its report on 16.12.2015.
- (c)        The recommendation of the Ashwini Nachappa Committee Report on SAI Training Centre Scheme  is  broadly on two aspects. It recommends step to be taken on long term basis and immediate steps to improve upon prevailing conditions of the SAI Training Centres. The following  immediate  steps  have  been  taken  by  SAI  to  ensure  proper habitable conditions and proper training environment in the centre:-
- Each  SAI  Training  Centre  (STC)  In-charge  to  ensure  that  all  the coaches  and  the  support  staff  are  available  in  the  daily  morning assembly.    Coaches  to  interact  with  the  trainees  and  to  get  the feedback  on  the  issues/  difficulties  faced  by  the  inmates  on  the previous day.  The morning assembly to begin with a prayer and to end with National Anthem before the trainees go for their discipline-
-  wise regular sports training.
-  The Centre-In-charge has been instructed to maintain a diary for each inmate with all necessary details of the trainees.  There will be a daily roll call after the dinner in the respective boys and girls hostel where the hostel warden shall discuss with trainees issues concerning to their  diet,  training,  competition,  education  and  any  other  welfare activity.  Warden shall ensure proper follow up through the In-charge, SAI Training Centre.
-  Provision has been made for regular counseling of trainees on issues concerning to their psychological well-being.  Psychologist to visit SAI Training Centre on regular intervals for counseling.
-  During free time/ leisure time in the Centre, trainees to be provided with  recreation  room,  a  reading  room  with  newspaper,  and  sports magazines /journals.
-  The inmate of STC Centre to be provided with the services of sports psychologists to deal with psychological issues.
-  The service of a part time Medical Doctor to be ensured in each SAI Training Centres to meet the medical needs of the trainees.
-  Yoga expert to be engaged for inmates for their holistic/ emotional well-being.
-  The school going trainees will be provided with services of suitable tuition masters to help them in academic matters.
-  Each STCs to have full time security personnel for the purposes of watch and ward.
-  Full time Lady Hostel Wardens to be arranged in each STC for the welfare of the inmates.
- 
- The parent, coach, trainee meeting to be held on regular basis.
-  24x7  helpline  /  telephone  facility  to  be  arranged  in  each  training centre for the inmates.

In order to strengthen the ongoing Schemes of SAI the following steps have also been taken:-

- 1) The Annual Maintenance Grant which included provision of repairs/renovation of the infrastructure as well as procurement of sports equipment (Consumable & non-Consumable) has been delinked now with a separate provision of Operation and Maintenance  Grant  of  the  centre  and  Grant  for  procurement  of consumable or non-consumable items for running the scheme. These provisions have become effective from 1.7.2016.
- 2) To provide balance diets with wholesome nutrients to the scheme inmates,  the  existing  boarding  charges  of  SAI  Training  Centre Scheme  has  been  enhanced  suitably  and  have  become  effective from 1.7.2016.
- 3) SAI  sanctioned  a  special  grant  of  Rs.25.00  lacs  to  SAI  Regional Centres to carry  out immediate civil & electrical  repairs in  those STCs which warranted the most.

To ensure proper selection of sports person in various age groups in SAI Schemes including SAI Training Centre Schemes, SAI constituted a committee of experts to examine the existing selection criteria and recommend the induction, retention and weeding out of Sports person in SAI Schemes.  Review  of  Selection  Criteria  Committee  under

Chairmanship of Dr. G Kishore, Principal LNCPE Thiruvananthapuram has recommended the fresh mode of selection of sports person for SAI Schemes to ensure fair selection of prospective sports potential in SAI Schemes. Based on the recommendation of the committee, SAI approved the fresh  selection  criteria  of  each  of  SAI  Schemes  and  accordingly  the induction of Sports person in SAI Schemes as per the revised criteria has been implemented from academic session 2016-17 onwards. *****