(a) whether the Government proposes to set up at least one Government sports club in each district
of the country including rural areas to promote and encourage talents in the field of sports;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the measures being taken by the Government to provide a platform to talented sportspersons in the country including in rural areas?
MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI AJAY MAKEN)
(a): No, Madam.
(b): Does not arise.
(c) & (d): In order to promote and encourage talent in the field of sports at the grassroot level, the Government implements a centrally sponsored scheme titled Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) from 2008-09 which aims at creation/development of basic playing
fields in all village panchayats and block panchayats of the country in a phased manner over a period of 10 years and providing access
to rural youth to organized sports competitions at block, district, state and national levels. 53,927 villages and block panchayats have already been covered under the PYKKA scheme during the last years (2008-09 to 2011-12). The playfields developed under PYKKA scheme are available for training of both boys and girls.
Further, a central sector scheme titled Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme has been introduced on pilot basis in 2010-11 with a view
to addressing the entire ‘sports eco-system’ holistically i.e., Players’ Academies, Coaching and Infrastructure (hockey turf/football turf/multipurpose halls/athletic track). The scheme focuses on promoting and supporting a mechanism at national and state level to
encourage, assist and preserve community playfields, incentivizing utilization of infrastructure already available in the State at
all levels by filling up critical gaps, increasing need-based infrastructure and creating capacity building among coaches, including
community coaches. Under the Scheme, State Governments, local civic bodies, schools, colleges, Universities and Sports Control Boards
are eligible for appropriate assistance.
Identification and nurturing of the identified talented Sportspersons is done under the following schemes of the Sports Authority of India (SAI):
(i) National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC) Scheme
(ii) Army Boys Sports Companies (ABSC) Scheme
(iii) SAI Training Centre (STC) Scheme
(iv) Special Area Games (SAG) Scheme
(v) Centres of Excellence (CoE) Scheme