Question : Status of Sporting Women

(a) whether the Government has undertaken studies which show the link between status of sporting women and the status of women in general and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has allocated sufficient funds and amenities just the same as that of men’s sporting activities and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has formulated any plan of making sports activities compulsory for girls in schools and provide ample opportunities to young adults to consider sports as a career option and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the details of sports schemes and programmes for women formulated by the Government and currently in place along with the future agenda in this regard; and

(e) whether the Government has propagated special schemes to encourage women to participate in sporting activities and campaign for equal pay to eliminate gender inequalities and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
[SHRI KIREN RIJIJU]

(a): No Sir, no such study has been undertaken by the Government.

(b): Sports promotional schemes being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) are gender neutral and cater to the entire population of the country, including both male and female sportspersons. ‘Sports for Women’ vertical of Khelo India scheme aims at encouraging women sportspersons. Under this vertical support was extended by this Ministry for hosting International Boxing Association (AIBA) Women’s World Boxing Championship in New Delhi, 2018 by providing financial assistance of Rs. 3.00 crore. The elite athletes being supported under Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) includes 20 women. Central Government has established 3 Sports Authority of India (SAI) Training Centres exclusively for female athletes. Presently, 4,269 female athletes are being trained in 273 SAI Training Centres.

(c): Education comes under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. With majority of schools falling under respective State Examination Boards, the school curriculum is largely determined by State Governments. However, as per the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 Health and Physical Education is a compulsory subject upto Xth Class and an optional subject at Higher Secondary Stage. At the graduation level, it is for the students to exercise the options available in the Universities / Colleges as per their choices.

(d) & (e): Women athletes have been constantly performing at International level and winning medals leading to increased participation of girl athletes. These high performing women athletes
are being supported through National Sports Federations (NSFs) as well as Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme. Khelo India scheme has a vertical namely, “Sports for Women” dedicated for promotion of sports amongst women. Department of Sports follows equal pay for equal work under its schemes and does not discriminate on the basis of gender.
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