Under this Scheme, Centres are started in consultation with the State Governments/ UT Administration with infrastructure like playing fields, indoor halls equipment support/ coaches etc. entirely funded by SAI/ Ministry.
OBJECTIVE:
Special Area Games (SAG) Scheme aims at scouting natural talent for modern competitive sports and games from inaccessible tribal, rural and coastal areas of the country and nurturing them scientifically for achieving excellence in sports. The Scheme also envisages tapping of talent from indigenous games and martial arts and also from regions/ communities, which are either genetically or geographically advantageous for excellence in a particular sports discipline. The main objective of the Scheme is to train meritorious sportspersons in the age group of 12-18 years, with age being relaxed in exceptional.
DISCIPLINES COVERED:
Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Fencing, Football, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Kabaddi, Karate, Kayaking, Netball, Rowing, Sepaktakraw, Shooting, Swimming, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling & Wushu (26 Disciplines).
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Age:
(a) 12-18 years in Individual Games
(b) 10-14 years in Team Games
(c) 12 to 14 years for children having the genetic advantage.
Traditional sports festival to tap natural sports talent Local Indigenous Games & Martial Art Festival:
Clubs/Institutions promoting Indigenous Games & Martial Arts on Guru- Shishya tradition may be adopted under SAG Extension Centre Scheme, for example, Kalari Payattu, Silambam, and Thang-ta for Fencing, etc. Malkhamb (Maharashtra) for Gymnastic & Pole Vault, Traditional Hockey in Punjab, Jharkhand, Odisha, Coorg (Karnataka), Archery in Leh Ladakh (J&K) and other parts of tribal region and many other IGMA in various parts of the Country
Final Selection and Admission:
At present, there are 19 SAG Centres in the country having a total strength of 1956 trainees (1090 Boys & 866 Girls).
