Lok Sabha Question No. 45 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-21
Subject: Review of Functioning of IHF/HI
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: ALOK SANJAR

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

(DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.** †45

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2015**

Review of Functioning of IHF/HI

†45. 	SHRI ALOK SANJAR

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

(a) whether the Government has reviewed the functioning of Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Hockey India (HI) to improve the conditions of Hockey game;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the measures taken by the Government to promote Hockey in the country; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to improve the financial condition of Hockey players and their families?

**THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)**

**FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS**

( **SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL** )

(a) & (b)	Madam, primary responsibility for promotion and development of a sport discipline including hockey rests with the concerned National Sports Federation (NSF) and the State Governments, as ‘Sports’ is a state subject.   Government of India supplements the efforts of the NSFs by providing financial assistance for various activities such as holding coaching camps for national level sportspersons, holding zonal and national  championships for sub-junior, junior and senior categories, organizing International tournaments in India, training and participation of sportspersons/teams in international tournaments abroad, procurement of sports science equipment and consumables, engagement of foreign coaches/experts to train athletes, etc. as per agreed Long Term Development Plans. Keeping in view all the relevant factors, Government has granted recognition to ‘Hockey India’ as the NSF for promotion and development of the sport of hockey (both men & women) in India.  The Government has also  recognised Jawaharlal Nehru Hockey Tournament Society for promotion of hockey among school children.  Financial assistance, at par with the NSFs, is given to the Society for organising National Championships at the school level.

During the last three years, i.e., 2012-2015 an amount of Rs.7578.40 lakhs has been spent from the Central Government budget for the sport of hockey.

Further, identification and nurturing of the identified talent from various disciplines including hockey is done under the following Schemes of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) :

- National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC) Scheme
- Army Boys Sports Companies (ABSC) Scheme
- SAI Training Center (STC) Scheme
- Special Area Games (SAG) Scheme
- Centre of Excellence (CoE) Scheme

The Government also provides assistance to the States under the Scheme of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA), {earlier called Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA)} a Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme and Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS).   Under RGKA, assistance of Rs.1.75 crore each is available for construction of a Sports Complex in every rural block of the country to cater to various sports disciplines including Hockey.    The Scheme of USIS provides for giving grants, inter-alia, for creation of sports infrastructure projects such as hockey turf/football turf/multi- purpose halls/athletic tracks, etc.  Under the scheme, State Governments, local civic bodies, Schools, Colleges, Universities and Sports Control Boards are eligible for appropriate assistance.

(c)	The ‘Scheme of Special Cash Awards for Winners of medals in international sports events and their coaches’, which was introduced in the year 1986 to encourage and motivate outstanding sportspersons for higher achievements and to attract the younger generation to take up sports as a career. 	Under the scheme, special awards are given to sportspersons and their coaches for winning medals in recognized international sports events. Cash awards are also given to coaches who have trained the medal winners.

Under the ‘Scheme of Sports Fund For Pension to Meritorious Sports Persons’, Indian sportspersons who have won gold, silver and bronze medals in Olympic Games, World Cup/World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Paralympic games, have attained the age of 30 years and have retired from active sports career are eligible for life pension. Under the Scheme of  ‘National welfare Fund for Sports Persons’ lump sum ex-gratia assistance is given to outstanding ex-sportspersons or to their families, living in indigent circumstances.

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