THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
[KIREN RIJIJU]
(a) Yes, Sir. PanditDeendayalUpadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons(PDUNWFS) was set up by the Government to provide assistance to sportspersons in the country. The financial help is provided to athletes depending upon their financial and medical conditions.
The objectives of the scheme ‘PanditDeendayalUpadhyay National Welfare Fund for sportspersons are:
(i) To provide suitable assistance to sportspersons now living in indigent sportspersons.
(ii) To provide suitable assistance to sportspersons injured during the period of their training for competitions and also during the competitions, depending on the nature of the injury.
(iii) To provide suitable assistance to sportspersons for medical treatment
(iv) To provide suitable assistance to promote welfare of sportspersons generally in order to alleviate distress among them and their dependents in indigent circumstances.
(v) To provide assistance to sportspersons living in indigent circumstances for training, procurement for sports equipments, participation in national and international sports events etc.
(vi) To any other purpose deemed fit by the General Committee.
(b) The state-wise and sports-wise number of sportspersons benefitted from the fund of PDUNWFS during each of the last three years and the current year (as on 15.03.2021) is attached at Annexure-I.
Further, criteria adopted for determining the amount of assistance from the PDUNWFS is attached at Annexure-II.
(c) and (d): Sir, the Ministry does not maintain data regarding the medallists who are in financially miserable condition and suffering from different diseases. The cases of sportsperson living in indigent conditions coming to the notice of the Government and proposals received are proactively processed and financial assistance is provided to such sportspersons under the Scheme of PanditDeendayalUpadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS). In the last three years and current financial year upto15.03.2021, assistance of about Rs. 2.66 crore has been sanctioned under PDUNWFS to 66 sportspersons for their medical treatment, ameliorating their financial condition, purchase of sports kits etc.
This Ministry is also implementing Scheme of ‘Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons’ under which sportspersons who are Indian citizens and have won medals in Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Cups/World Championships (in Olympic and Asian Games disciplines) and Paralympic Games, are given lifelong monthly pension ranging from Rs. 12,000 to 20,000 after they attain the age of 30 years or retire from active sports, whichever is later. At present, 758 sportspersons are getting lifelong monthly pension under the scheme.
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