Promotion of sports among disabled persons.

   The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Jitendra Singh has said that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is implementing the following Schemes which promote sports among persons with disabilities:

   (i) Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs)

   (ii) Scheme of Pension to Meritorious sportspersons

   (iii) Scheme of Special Awards to medal winners in international sports events

   (iv) Recognition by way of conferment of Arjuna Awards

   (v) Scheme of Sports & Games for Persons with Disabilities.

Training Programme for Students as Tourism Volunteers.

   The Ministry of Tourism has launched a Scheme titled ‘Earn While You Learn’ with a view to inculcate appropriate tourism travel traits and knowledge amongst trainees to enable them to work as ‘student volunteers’. The salient features of the Scheme are :

   (i)    College-going students pursuing graduation courses or graduates in the age group of 18 to 25 years will be eligible for the training programme.

   (ii)    The candidates are selected by following a transparent procedure.

Approval for revised administrative approval for the Construction of a new multi-storeyed Command Hospital Complex at Pune.

    The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal for revised administrative approval for the construction of a new mufti-storeyed Command Hospital Complex including accommodation for essential category staff and Command Medical Dental Centre at Pune at a revised estimated cost of Rs.382.37 crore.

   The Command Hospital (Southern Command) Pune is a 1047 bedded referral hospital which providies tertiary level medical care in various specialities and super-specialities to serving personnel of the Armed Forces, Ex-Servicemen, their families and civilians. The hospital is also affiliated to the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune for teaching and training of both undergraduate and postgraduate students.