Responsibility of promoting sports with State Govts, NSFs: Sonowal
Source: Hueiyen News Service / PIB
New Delhi, August 04 2015:
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Sarbananda Sonowal has said that Sports is a State Subject and it is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments and National Sports Federations (NSFs) to promote sports.
The Central Government complements/supplements the efforts of the State Governments and the NSFs in this regard.
However, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is implementing the following Schemes for providing sports infrastructure in the country including North Eastern States (NES) and rural/village areas: i. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) [erstwhile Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA)]: Under this Scheme, it is proposed to construct a sports complex in each block, both for outdoor and indoor sports disciplines.
This Scheme is a revised version of a Scheme called Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA), which was being implemented by the Central Government for creation of basic sports infrastructure by way of developing playgrounds in the rural areas of the country since 2008-09 and upto 2013-14.The Central Government is contemplating to revisit the RGKA Scheme as funds are not forthcoming from the converging Schemes, viz, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), the Additional Central Assistance for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (ACA for LWEAA), and the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources � Central (NLCPR-Central).
The year-wise details of funds released to various States/UTs under PYKKA Scheme during 2012-13 and 2013-14 are given in Annexure � I.The details of funds released to various States/UTs under RGKA Scheme during 2014-15 are given in Annexure � II.
No funds have been released under the RGKA during the current financial year.
The State/UT-wise details of playfields developed under PYKKA Scheme upto 31.03.2015 are given in Annexure � III.
Details of participation in annual sports competitions under PYKKA are given in Annexure � IV and under RGKA are given in Annexure � V respectively.
ii.
Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) : Under this Scheme 100% financial assistance, subject to prescribed ceiling is provided to (a) State Governments/ UTs (b) Local Civic Bodies; (c) Schools, Colleges and Universities under Central/State Governments; and (d) Sports Control Boards for development of the (i) Synthetic playing surface (for hockey, football and athletics); and (ii) Multipurpose indoor hall.
The details of funds released during the last three years and current year are given in Annexure-VI.
Out of the 51 projects sanctioned, the following four projects, viz., Laying of Synthetic Hockey Field at Indira Stadium, Una, Himachal Pradesh, Laying of Synthetic Hockey Field at Boys' Hockey Academy, Kawnpuri, Mizoram, Laying of synthetic Hockey Surface at Kalinga Stadium, Sports Complex, Bhubaneswar, Odisha and Construction of multi-purpose indoor hall at Mualpui, District Aizawl, Mizoram have been completed.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Sonowal said, release of grants under RGKA and USIS are demand-driven and made against proposals received from States/UTs and other eligible entities, and which are complete in all respects as per provisions of the respective Scheme and subject to the condition that no Utilisation Certificate is pending from the concerned State/UT against grants released by this Ministry.
Complete proposals, subject to no pendency of Utilization Certificate, are processed for release of grants if sufficient funds are available for the purpose.
There is no scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports specifically to construct modern and international level sports infrastructure and other sports equipments.
However, under the RGKA, there is a provision for providing funds to the tune of Rs.15 lakh to each block level sports complex for equipment, the Minister added.
Comment
