The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports through Sports Authority of India (SAI) have undertaken several initiatives to ensure preparations for Olympic/ Paralympic Games, Asian and Commonwealth Games and to increase the participation of our sportspersons in these events. In order to improve India’s performance at Olympics and Paralympics, the Ministry is also implementing the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) since 2014. Under TOPS, the Government extends all requisite support to probable athletes identified for the major international events, including foreign training, international competition, equipment, services of support staff/personnel like Physical Trainer, Sports Psychologist, Mental Trainer and Physiotherapist besides out of pocket allowance of Rs.50,000/- per month to Core Group athletes and Rs.25,000/- per month to Development Group athletes. At present, 103 individual athletes and 2 hockey teams (Men & Women) as core group have been selected under the TOPS. Also, Under Development Group of TOPS to ensure a focused approach in India’s Olympic preparation the talent identification of 166 best sporting talents has been completed.
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is also implementing various schemes for the development of sports and provide benefits/facilities among the youth across the country, viz., (i) Khelo India Scheme; (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 (NSDF); and (viii) Running Sports Training Centres through Sports Authority of India.
The details of the above schemes are available in the public domain on the websites of the Ministry and the Sports Authority of India viz., www.yas.nic.in/sports and www.sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in respectively.
As ‘Sports’ is State subject, responsibility for creation and enhancement of sports infrastructure is that of State/Union Territory Governments. As far as the sports facilities in SAI are concerned, SAI has undertaken 29 Sports Infrastructure projects amounting to Rs.612.51 crore during the last five years.
Under the Khelo India Scheme, financial assistance is provided for creation of basic sports infrastructure such as Multipurpose Hall, Synthetic Athletic Track, Football Turf, Hockey Turf, Swimming Pool etc. A total 297 sports infrastructure projects including 48 in the State of Rajasthan have been sanctioned across the country, which cater to all categories of citizens.
Further, SAI undertakes sports infrastructure projects only in SAI Centres across India. There is no proposal at present for construction of new stadiums and sports complexes at SAI centres.
The reply was given by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur in Lok Sabha today.
