Sports Ministry sanctions aid to five states

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has sanctioned Rs 17.85 crore as central assistance to five states for procuring sports consumables and honour community coaches.

The states which have got the assistance are Karnataka, Odisha, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

The assistance is also for "the development and maintenance of playfields and for conduct of sports competitions under Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA)."

Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan aims at development and maintenance of playfields in village and block panchayats across the country and organizing annual sports competitions from block to national levels is implemented through the State Government/UTs.

Under the PYKKA, which was introduced in 2008-09, playfields are developed and maintained in villages and block panchayats across the country in a phased manner and competitions are conducted annually at block, district, state and national level.

In total, 51,759 village panchayats and 1,538 block panchayats have been covered under the PYKKA Scheme, during the last four years (2008-09 to 2011-12) for development and maintenance of playfields.