March 19, 2002

    The Centrally Sponsored Schemes being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports are (i) Grants for Creation of Sports Infrastructure and (ii) Grant for Installation of Synthetic Playing Surfaces. Under the Scheme (i) above, Central assistance is provided for construction of various play fields, Indoor/Outdoor Stadiums, Swimming Pool etc. and the grant can be availed of by the State Governments/UT Administrations, Local statutory Bodies such as Municipalities/Municipal Corporations/Notified Area Committees/Cantonment Boards and Registered Voluntary Organizations active in the field of Sports. The Voluntary Organizations should not have restricted/closed membership based on caste, sex, race or religion etc. Government Schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan/Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti/State/UT Administration schools are also eligible for creation of various sports facilities.

    Under the Scheme (ii) above, Central assistance is provided for Installation/relaying of Athletic Synthetic Track and Hockey Surface. The State/Union Territory Administrations, State Sports Councils, Sports Authority of India, State Sports Authorities, National Sports Associations/Federations, Services Sports Control Board, Railway Sports Control Board, Local Bodies and Universities/Colleges/Schools are eligible for assistance. The assistance is also admissible to the public/private sector enterprises, who are running Sports Academies or Sports Hostels for promoting sports excellence.

    There are no schemes of Sports Authority of India (SAI) for providing financial assistance for infrastructure facilities at State Level, Municipality level/Corporation level.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Pon. Radhakirishnan in a written reply to a question from Shri S. Ajaya Kumar in the Lok Sabha today.