Great news guys! The Union Sports Ministry under the “Khelo India” initiative will provide cash incentives to grassroots coaches. This financial help will not only be restricted to medal-winning athletes and their trainers. The government has decided to extend the monetary benefits to the grassroots level coaches, who suffer due to lack of funds.
-- Advertisement --Cash Incentives to Grassroots Coaches – A Noble Initiative by Sports Ministry
Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore made a great announcement during the launch of the official anthem and mascot of Khelo India School Games.
Speaking on the cash incentives to grassroots coaches Rathore said, “Today when an athlete wins a medal at Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Olympics, the coach gets incentive. We will be changing that. Now 20 percent of the total money will also be given to the coaches who worked on them at the grassroots level and 30 percent will be given to the developmental coaches.”
-- Advertisement --“It is not a question of money but it is a matter of recognition. The execution will be a slow process. We will create a database of the coaches of the athletes who are associated with Khelo India. So when one of these athletes goes on to win a medal in international event, the grassroots coaches can also be recognised.”
Cash Incentives to Grassroots Coaches – Young Athletes to get Scholarships
The Union Sports Ministry has already decided to select 1000 athletes every year under the ‘Khelo India School Games’ for a scholarship of Rs 5 lakhs each. This will continue for eight successive years.
Rajyavardhan Singh putting light on the scholarship said, “In five years, we will have 5000 athletes getting scholarship and it will help to bridge the gap between potential to podium.”
“17 years may not be the right age to start, as by that time one should reach the international level. We have planned to slowly take the selection age down to 12 years so that at 20, the young Indian athlete can compete at the highest level.
Cash Incentives to Grassroots Coaches – Creating a backup pool of athletes
Rathore highlighted the fact that cash incentive to grassroots coaches will help in building a pool of back-up athletes.
“Even today we win medals, but there is no second string and no back up. So we want to create a pool of at least 50 athletes that are waiting to take up the place. A sports movement has started and we want to provide all support to these kids right from the young age.”
Providing cash incentives to grassroots coaches will help in continued development of rural athletes that don’t get an opportunity to train at national academies. This initiative will ensure that young athletes are not sitting idle during the off-season and will be able to practice with their original coaches, because of whom they participated in the sport.
Cash Incentives to Grassroots Coaches – Initiated through Khelo India Program
If you still aren’t’ aware, the Khelo India school games will have 16 sports disciplines. The games include athletics, badminton, boxing, football, hockey, judo, kabaddi, kho kho, shooting, swimming, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.
Sports Minister Rathore, who himself is a Olympic Silver Medallist, is of the view that the program along with young kids will focus on development of grassroots coaches.
Under the Khelo India initiative, the Sports Ministry:
- Will get into tie ups with international institutes to upgrade the knowledge of the coaches
- They will create a bank of coaches where people who consider themselves to be coaches, can register and upgrade their knowledge
- Under the Khelo India program, there will be 2-3 week classes for the coaches and they will also get a certificate for a central agency
Cash Incentives to Grassroots Coaches – Promoting Women in sports and developing a sporting culture
Rathore, further divulging on the topic said Khelo India Games will focus on women-oriented sports and try to run a campaign to encourage women to come out of their homes and play sports.
“I think 2018 will be the year of sports and our focus will also be on women-oriented sports. If women start playing sports then there will be a generational shift and I think we should take it up as a campaign.”
Under the same initiative, they will be mapping the sports infrastructure of the country and providing e-coaches to upcoming athletes across the country.
Sanjay Gupta, MD, Star India (Star Sports) said, “We are delighted to partner with Khelo India to enable the development of sporting culture amongst youth in India. It has to be understood that education without sports is incomplete. This is where Khelo India will play a pivotal role.
“Together with the Sports Ministry we intend to realize a shared vision of making 30 crore children actively participate in sporting activities for an hour, every day.” Concluded Sanjay Gupta.
