Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund For Sportspersons

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund For Sportspersons (PDUNWFS) was set up in March, 1982 with a view to assisting outstanding Sportspersons of yesteryear, living in indigent circumstances who had brought glory to the Country in sports. The scheme as revised in May, 2016 to provide for lump sum ex-gratia assistance to outstanding Sportspersons of yesteryears. Provision of pension has been done away with as there is already a Scheme of Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons.

Objectives

The Fund shall be utilized for the following objectives:

• To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons now living in indigent sportspersons.
• To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons injured during the period of their training for competitions and also during the competitions, depending on the nature of the injury.
• To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons who bring glory to the country in international field and who are disabled as an after effect of their strenuous training or otherwise and to provide them assistance for medical treatment.
• To administrator and apply the funds of the Fund to promote the welfare of the sportspersons generally in order to alleviate distress among them and their dependents in indigent circumstances
• To administer and apply the funds of the Fund for active sportspersons individually or collectively as a group.
• To do all other things which are incidental to the above objectives

Quantum of assistance

Assistance to sportspersons living in indigent circumstances

A lumpsum ex-gratia financial assistance may be granted to an outstanding sportsperson now living in indigent circumstances, subject to a maximum of Rs. 5 lakh. In addition to this, a provision of monthly pension of Rs. 5000/ - (Rupees five thousand) may be provided to those yesteryears meritorious sportspersons now living in indigent circumstances."Indigent circumstances" means the circumstances under which sportsperson or his /her family in distress have no source of income or have income of less than Rs. 4 lakh per annum from all sources and such other circumstances as may be considered by the Committee to be indigent circumstances.

Assistance for injuries sustained during training for and participation in Sports competitions

A lumpsum ex-gratia financial assistance subject to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakh may be granted to an outstanding sportsperson for injuries sustained during training for and participation in sports competitions.

"Outstanding Sportsperson" means a sportsperson who has achieved a position within first 3 in individual events and team events in a recognized National Championship (Senior category) conducted by National Sports Federations, recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, or National Games conducted under auspices of Indian Olympic Association, Inter-University Tournaments conducted under the auspices of Association of Indian Universities, or one who has participated in an international sports event in senior category in the sports disciplines included in Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games. For purpose of giving financial assistance to sportspersons who have suffered injuries, "outstanding sportsperson" will also include junior and sub-junior categories.

Assistance to Families of deceased Outstanding Sportspersons

A lumpsum ex-gratia financial assistance, not exceeding Rs. 5.00 lakh in each case, may be provided to the families of deceased outstanding sportspersons living in indigent circumstances.

Assistance for Medical Treatment

Financial assistance not exceeding Rs. 10 lakh may be provided for medical treatment of an outstanding sportsperson or of any of his/her family members living in indigent circumstances.

Assistance to coaches, support personnel, umpires, referees and match officials

Lumpsum financial assistance, not exceeding Rs. 2 lakh may be provided to coaches and support personnel such as sports doctors, sports psychologists, sports mentor, physiotherapists, masseurs who have been attached with national coaching camps for senior category players and national teams (senior category), and umpires, referees and match officials, who have been associated with recognized national championships (senior category) and international tournaments(senior category) in the sports disciplines included in Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games who are living in indigent circumstances or to family members of such deceased support personnel living in indigent circumstances.

Discretionary powers to the Chairperson of the General Committee

The Chairperson of the General Committee for the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons may sanction the assistance, in deserving cases, even to those, who technically are non-eligible, taking into account full facts and circumstances for each case and for reasons to be recorded in writing. The Chairperson will have the discretion to decide the quantum of assistance.

Disclosure of information about assistance received from other resources: Sportspersons or family member of sportspersons applying for assistance from the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS) will furnish information about assistance received in kind or cash from any other source for the same purpose.

How to apply

A filled in application using the prescribed Performa for financial assistance is to be sent to the following address.
Member - Secretary,
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS),
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports,
Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi - 110001

To access the complete guidelines and the application format, click here.

Source : Ministry of Youth Affairs