The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has said that the primary responsibility for promotion and development of specific sports disciplines is that of the concerned National Sports Federations (NSFs). However, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India supplement the efforts of NSFs. All the schemes of the Ministry and the Sports Authority of India are inclusive schemes and are equally applicable to women sportspersons.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha Shri Sonowal said, BCCI has not been officially recognized by the Ministry, but since International Cricket Council (ICC) recognizes BCCI as the apex body for promotion of cricket in India, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports provides clearance from sports angle for organizing international Cricket matches in India by BCCI and participation of national team in international events abroad at no cost to the Government subject to clearances from Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs.

He said, the Ministry provides financial assistance to the recognized NSFs under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) towards conduct of national championships in Senior, Junior and Sub–junior categories both for men and women, conduct of international tournaments in India, participation of Indian sportspersons and teams in international tournaments abroad, organizing coaching camps, etc.

The Minister further said, for encouraging sports among women, sports competitions are held at district, state and national levels under the scheme of National Championship for Women, presently merged with the scheme of PanchayatYuvaKridaAurKhelAbhiyan (PYKKA) now revised as Rajiv Gandhi KhelAbhiyan (RGKA).The  following sports competitions are conducted annually with 100% central assistance at Block, District, State and National level;

(a)   Rural Competitions
(b)   Women Competitions
(c)   North East Games
(d)   Competitions in Left Wing Extremism affected Areas.

The year-wise details of women participation under the erstwhile PanchayatYuvaKridaaurKhelAbhiyan (PYKKA) scheme, which has been revised and renamed as Rajiv Gandhi KhelAbhiyan (RGKA) w.e.f. 01.02.2014, are given below:

The Government is not implementing any scheme providing for construction of District Level Sports Complexes in various states. However, RGKA scheme provides for construction of sports complexes in each block of the country both for outdoor and indoor sports disciplines on land measuring about 6-7 acres, Shri Sonowal added.