Question : SCHEME FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS

(a) whether the Government has discontinued the Central assistance provided to State Governments under the scheme for promotion of sports infrastructure;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government proposes to restore the said scheme or launch a separate fund for the construction of stadium and other sports infrastructure to provide all the States;

(d) if so, the funds provided for the purpose to all the States during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise:

(e) the number of sports persons in the country who have been provided any kind of aid/facilities, sports discipline-wise, State-wise; and

(f) the achievement made by the Government to promote and development the sports in the country?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS SHRI PRATIK PRAKASHBAPU PATIL

(a) to (f): Yes, Madam. The Government has discontinued the erstwhile Sports Infrastructure Schemes with effect from 01-04-2005 and transferred them to the State Sector. However, with a view to broadbasing sports in rural areas, the Government has introduced a nation wide programme called ‘Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan’ ( PYKKA) in 2008-09 under which basic sports facilities, and access to organize competitions is provided to villages and block Panchayat, in a phased manner.

As of now, around 31,000 village and block Panchayats have been approved involving a sanction amount of Rs. 345 crore, spread across in 28 states and 1 Union Territory. Against this, so far Rs. 265 crore has been released under this programme. A large number of people, across age groups, have participated under the PYKKA competitions organized annually. During 2009-10, over 17lakh rural Youth participated in the PYKKA competitions. The scheme provides for annual grant of Rs. 10,000/- per village panchayat and Rs. 20,000/-per block panchayat for acquisition of sports equipment and consumables. Twenty sports disciplines are covered under the scheme. State-wise sanction and release of grants for the last two financial years and upto 30-06-2010 of the current financial year under PYKKA Scheme is given in Annexure I to III.

The Planning Commission has accorded in principle approval for introducing a scheme to support the creation of urban sports infrastructure on a pilot scale. There is a budget provision of Rs.150 crore for this purpose in the current financial year. Apart from this, the Sports Authority of India, under its various schemes, provides training to over 15,000 young promising sportspersons at their various training centers.