The Sports Ministry has cleared proposals worth over Rs 142.24 crore for providing grant-in-aid to 14 states. This will be for the creation of basic sports infrastructure in 12,854 village panchayats and 376 block panchayats under the Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) during the year 2008-2009. Under the PYKKA programme, financial assistance is given as one-time capital grant for development of infrastructure in villages and block panchayats. The grant also includes annual acquisition and operation.The scheme also provides for conducting annual competitions at block, district and state level in the states. Under the PYKKA scheme, Rs. 3 lakh is given as a central grant to each district while Rs. 50,000 is given to each block which is meant for annual competition. As for prize money in competitions, the scheme provides for Rs. 25,000, Rs 15,000 Rs 5,000 under the grant to the top three village panchayats at block level tournaments while the top three finishers at block level would receive Rs. 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 10,000 as grant at district level tournaments. The ministry has also separately approved a grant of Rs 5.16 crore to five states.
