The Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel said in the Lok Sabha today that the Government of India through Sports Authority of India (SAI) under its National Sports Talent Contest Scheme (NSTC) adopts Akharas which have produced talented wrestlers in the past and having indoor training facility.  The adopted Akharas are provided with Sports Kit, Stipend, Competition Exposure and Insurance.  For training provision of a specialized Wrestling coach along with a set of Wrestling Mats / Multi gym is made.  Presently there are 41 Akharas adopted by SAI where 724 wrestlers (664 boys and 60 girls) are being trained. However, as such there is no scheme for construction & maintenance of Akhara.

In a written reply he said wrestling is also one of the identified sports discipline under other schemes of SAI in which presently 1228 wrestlers (1093 boys and 135 girls) are being trained in 72 centres spread throughout the country. 

As far as preparation of Indian wrestling team under the scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) is concerned budgetary allocation is made for the Wrestling discipline in total, not segregating between men and women. The men and women wrestlers are treated at par and provided with similar facilities. Budget allocation for wrestling spent by SAI during last three years is as under:-

The budget allocation to the Wrestling sport is being suitably enhanced every year as per the requirement finalized in consultation with the Wrestling Federation of India.

The details of the funds spent by National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) on the training of sportspersons under the Scheme of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) during the last three years and the current year are as under:

Under SAI Schemes the female wrestlers are also inducted for regular training on residential and non-residential basis.  Presently, there are 135 female wrestlers (49 residential and 86 non-residential) under training in SAI centres.

To exclusively nurture female wrestlers, SAI has recently adopted Jog Maharaj Vyayamshala, Pune under its Akhara Scheme and 19 talented female wrestlers are being trained in the Akhara.

Wrestling being a traditional Indian sport, efforts are being made to admit more number of female wrestlers under SAI schemes, since there is enormous potential among the Indian women in the discipline of wrestling

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