Bhubaneswar: The Centre has included 21 new sports disciplines including ‘Mallakhamb’ and ‘Sepak Takraw’ in the list of sports disciplines which qualify for recruitment of meritorious sports persons to any post in Group 'C' in Ministries/Department of Government of India.
The new sports disciplines include- Baseball, Cycle Polo, Fencing, Mallakhamb, Net Ball, Pencak Silat, Roll Ball, Sepak Takraw, Tenpin Bowling, Tug-of-war, Tennis Ball Cricket, Body-Building, Deaf Sports, Kudo, Motor Sports, Para Sports (for sports discipline included in para-Olympics and Para Asian Games), Shooting Ball, Rugby, Soft Tennis, Triathlon and Wushu.
Meanwhile, the Government has formulated several schemes to promote sports and improve the level of sports in the country including in rural areas, said Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has formulated the following schemes to promote sports and improve the level of sports and support sports infrastructure in the country, including in rural areas for encouragement of rural youth.
- Khelo India Scheme
- Assistance to National Sports Federations
-Special Awards to Winners in International sports events and their Coaches
- National Sports Awards, Pension to Meritorious Sports Persons
- Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Sports Welfare Fund
- National Sports Development Fund
- Running Sports Training Centres through Sports Authority of India
Funds are allocated by the Union Government Scheme-wise, not State-wise. Under various sports schemes, a total of Rs 1393.21 crore in year 2017-18, Rs 1381.52 crore in year 2018-19 and Rs 2000 crore was allocated in year 2019-20.
This information was given by Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
(With PIB Inputs)