August 15, 2026 09:56 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Independence Day: PM Modi’s big youth pitch— AI training, free coaching amid exam row and job concerns | ‘Shakti Ki Saptadhara’: Modi reveals 7 pillars to power India’s next leap in his I-Day speech from Red Fort | West Bengal STF arrests 3 more suspected Pakistani spies in Cooch Behar | Bengal man arrested in Bengaluru over terror links, Afghanistan travel plan | Ajit Doval breaks silence on Operation Sindoor in Discovery’s explosive new docuseries | Rahul Gandhi's 'mock hug' taunt sparks row; Centre stresses 'mutual respect' with Italy | Delhi on high alert: Bomb threat to High Court, airport and multiple locations ahead of I-Day | ‘Who are they to interfere?’: CJI Surya Kant slams Bar Council of India over NALSAR students’ enrolment row | 'Shows how low Congress has sunk': BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Modi foreign policy jibe | From guns to glamour: Former women Maoists walk the ramp in Chhattisgarh

Rio Olympics: 45 selected for TOP

| | Apr 29, 2015, at 06:28 am
New Delhi, Apr 28 (IBNS) Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Sarbananda Sonowal has said that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Department of Sports) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), which is a Public Sector Company, in March 2015.

The IIFCL will contribute Rs.30 crore (Rs.10 crore each year for three years) to the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) for the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme under its initiatives for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday Sonowal said, the TOP Scheme has been formulated within the overall ambit of the NSDF with the objective of identifying and supporting potential medal prospects for 2016 and 2020 Olympics Games.

The IIFCL has contributed Rs.10 crore to the NSDF in March 2015.  The contribution will be used to fund the activities of the sport of Badminton under TOP Scheme.

He said 45 sportspersons in the disciplines of Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Shooting, Wrestling and Sailing have been identified/selected for their customized training at Institutes/ Centers, having world class facilities/high quality support staff, under the guidance of reputed coaches.

The Minister said, criteria for selection included recent performance, consistency in performance, performance vis-a-viz international standards, etc. The list of sportspersons selected so far under the scheme is given in the statement at Annexure.  

There has been representation from Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, Badminton Players (Doubles) for their inclusion in the TOP Scheme. 

There is provision for periodic review of performance of sportspersons, who reach the prescribed benchmark, for induction in the Scheme. Total fund allocated is given in the statement at Annexure. 

A sum of Rs.96.80 lacs has been released so far, the Minister added.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.