Parliament Question: Assistance to the Talented Sportspersons

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (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 re- evaluate 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 Page 1 of 2Affairs 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/nsdf- glance.html, respectively. The Khelo India Scheme and NSDF are demand- driven 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. ***** Page 2 of 2