‘Sports’ being a State subject, the responsibility of development of sports, including formulation of policy to promote sports and encourage sportspersons in rural areas, rests with State/Union Territory Governments. Central Government supplements their efforts. The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has formulated the following schemes to promote sports and encourage sportspersons in the country, including rural areas: –
(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, Pension to Meritorious Sports Persons
(v) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Sports Welfare Fund
(vi) National Sports Development Fund
(vii) 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.
The Union Government keeps receiving proposals from various State/Union Territory Governments from time to time. Proposals are sanctioned according to the parameters of the respective Schemes subject to the completeness of the proposals, technical feasibility and availability of funds under the Schemes. During the last three years, this Ministry sanctioned 189 sports infrastructure projects, 360 Khelo India Centres, 24 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence and 160 Khelo India Academies for promotion and development of sports in the country, including Maharashtra.
This information was given by Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
