New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has finalized the Annual Calendar of Training & Competitions (ACTCs) for 33 Sports disciplines and earmarked a sum of Rs. 259 crores for the financial year 2022-23 as Assistance to various National Sports Federations (NSFs). Of this, as much as Rs. 190 crores will be spent on athletes for their training, foreign exposure, equipment and support staff for Commonwealth Games 2022 and Asian Games 2022. The budget has been decided based on detailed discussions with 33 NSFs on their planned competition and training calendar for the year 2022-23, with special emphasis on the proposals regarding training and competition requirements of athletes participating in the upcoming Commonwealth Games (CWG)at Birmingham, UK in August, 2022 and Asian Games at Guangzhou, China in September, 2022. The Ministry, in active consultation with the NSFs, has carefully considered and approved every proposal made to further enhance the support being given to Indian athletes who are bound for these two prestigious international events.
Besides the 33 federations whose ACTCs have already been approved by the Ministry, ACTC consultation meetings with 3 more NSFs are in the offing and the budgets for them will also be finalized soon.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur stated that the Government has taken note of the plans and proposals for training and competitions submitted by NSFs for the year 2022-23, and particularly with regard to the forthcoming Commonwealth Games 2022, Asian Games 2022 and Para Asian Games 2022, and approved the ACTCs. He further stated that the funds will not be a constraint for the preparations of the athletes and that the Ministry will provide all necessary help and support to the players and NSFs. He also advised the players and teams to fully focus on their training, and put in their best performance and thereby make the country proud by winning maximum number of medals at the forthcoming events.
Funding to NSFs under ACTC for 2022-23 has been done based on revised norms made effective from 1stMarch, 2022. Significant enhancements have been made in various components of the Scheme to cater to the changing requirements of sport.
Under the revised norms, quantum of assistance for National Championships has increased to Rs.51 lakh for High Priority, Priority and Indian Traditional Sports, and for General category sports, which were earlier known as ‘Others’ to Rs. 30 lakhs, as against Rs. 22 lakhs (uniform earlier for all categories of sports disciplines). Allowance for General Sports Training Kit (Like track suits, T-Shirts, Shorts, Warm up shoes etc.) has been doubled to Rs. 20,000/- per athlete once a year for the National Campers. For encouraging the NSFs to host international tournaments in the country, the quantum of assistance has been enhanced to Rs. 1.00 Crore from the earlier Rs.30 lakh. To attract the qualified and top-quality support personnel, remuneration has been enhanced substantially. Remuneration of Sports Doctors and Doctors has been increased to upto Rs. 2 lakh per month from the earlier Rs.1 lakh per month and that of Head Physiotherapists and Physiotherapists to upto Rs. 2 lakh per month and upto Rs. 1.5 lakh per month respectively from the earlier Rs. 80,000 per month.
Further, to ensure that the NSFs do not experience any obstacles in their efforts of preparing the sportspersons for the forthcoming mega sports events, the Sports Ministry has taken the proactive step of renewing the recognition of 38 NSFs for the year 2022 after examination of their Constitution/Memorandum of Association with reference to provisions of the Sports Code, 2011. Renewal of recognition of the remaining NSFs is under consideration.
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