DoPT Urges Central Govt Employees to Participate in Adventure Sports & Similar Activities

DoPT Urges Central Govt Employees to Participate in Adventure Sports – ‘Healthy employees are happy employees. A positive and energetic work force collaborates better and is more appealing to customers, which means investing in gym will improve the functioning and image of an organisation’.

After yoga, all central government employees have been advised to participate in adventure sports like jungle safari and rafting to enhance their risk-taking capacity.

The Mission of the Scheme for promotion of adventure sports and similar activities is to encourage Central Government Employees working in the Ministries/Department of the Government of India to take part in these activities by giving financial assistance and other incentives. The Central Civil Services Cultural & Sports Board, a Society registered under the Society Registration Act, 1860, which is under the aegis and control of the Department of Personnel & Training will be the nodal agency for the Scheme.

DoPT in its order No.125/1/2015-16/CCSCSB said :

• The Scheme would tackle the alarming situation of stress and impact of sedentary life on Government servants as highlighted in several studies conducted so far.
• It would provide a creative outlet to Central Government Employees.
• It would create and foster spirit of risk – taking, cooperative team work, capacity of readiness and vital response to challenging situations and of endurance.
• Central Government Employees would be prepared for better Disaster Management
• Environmental awareness would be inculcated amongst the Central Government Employees.\

“Healthy employees are happy employees. A positive and energetic work force collaborates better and is more appealing to customers, which means investing in gym will improve the functioning and image of an organisation,” it said.

The activities include trekking, mountaineering, rock-climbing, cycling in a difficult terrain, skiing, surfing, boat sailing, snorkeling, rafting, parasailing ballooning, paragliding, jungle safari, desert safari, beach trekking and environmental awareness camps.

The scope of the Scheme is limited to Central Government Employees working in the Ministries/Departments of Government of India. It will also be limited to the programme run by Institutes/Organizations approved by the Department of Personnel & Training.

The Department of Personnel & Training will provide financial assistance to the eligible Central Government Employees for the programme of approved activities and conducted by the approved Institutes.

“As an employer it is necessary that steps are taken to ensure health and well being of the employees so as to enable them contribute more effectively in the discharge of their official duties. One way to improve the physical fitness of the employees is to invest in a gymnasium at workplace,” the DoPT said.

Gymnasium at workplace will make it easier for employees to find time to exercise and improve their health and well-being which can have significant impact such as increased productivity, it said.

Special Casual Leave will be granted to eligible participants in accordance with Department of Personnel & Training Office Memorandum No. 6/1/1985-Estt.(Pay-I) dated 16th July, 1985 and No. 6/1/85-Estt(Pay-I) dated 7th November, 1988.

DoPT also added, The Department of Personnel& Training will reserve the rights to modify the scheme, addition or deletion of activities, Institutes/Organization, change in pattern of financial assistance and other conditions of the Scheme without any prior notice.

Click to read the DoPT MEMORANDUM :  Adventure sports.pdf