PANAJI, Oct 26:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said this year’s sports budget is three times more than the allocation made nine years ago and asserted India has a vast pool of sporting talent and is prepared to host the 2036 Olympic Games. He said India’s recent success in the world of sports is a huge inspiration for every young sportsperson; weeks after the country bagged a record 107 medals at the Asian Games in China. Speaking after inaugurating the 37th National Games at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Margao, Modi said the Games are taking place in Goa at a time when Indian sports is reaching new heights. “We have brought in changes in schemes to provide financial incentives to sportspersons,” he said. There is no dearth of sporting talent in India, Modi said, adding the country has produced many sports champions. “The country has produced champions despite deprivation, yet poor performance in the medal tally always rankled people,” he said. Modi referred to several key measures taken by his government in the last 30 to 35 days, including passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, India successfully completing key test in Gaganyaan mission, launch of Namo Bharat trains of the Regional Rapid Transit System, and ‘Operation Ajay’ to facilitate the return of Indians trapped in Israel. After 2014, the Centre has created required sports infrastructure, made selection process for competitions more transparent and introduced changes in financial schemes for athletes, he said. Modi said his government has worked towards removing roadblocks in progress of sports. “The government has created a roadmap to take players to Olympics podium (winning medals). We can see the impact of it now,” he said. The Prime Minister alleged governments in the past were reluctant to allot adequate. (PTI)
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