1628 Panchayats to get playfields; 17 National Events to be hosted by UT
*17.5 lakh boys & girls to be engaged in sports activities across J&K this year
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 28: Giving special impetus on the involvement of more youth in sports activities, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today set this year’s target for the Department of Youth Services & Sports and J&K Sports Council for engaging 17.5 lakh boys & girls from across the UT in different sports disciplines.
The Lt Governor was chairing a meeting to review the functioning of the Department of Youth Services & Sports and J&K Sports Council at Civil Secretariat.
While taking a detailed assessment of the activities, achievement, and targets for 2021-22, the Lt Governor advised the concerned functionaries to encourage youth to take up sports by adopting multi-pronged strategy – developing sports infrastructure, conducting sports activities and imparting training/coaching; besides ensuring full utilization of the assets and the available human resources.
The chair was informed that play-fields are being developed in 1628 panchayats and for the rest of the panchayats, school grounds will be utilized for the sporting activities for the time-being.
The Lt Governor directed the Department of Youth Services & Sports for maintaining an inventory online, besides preparing the data of sports equipment distributed at various levels.
Identify sportspersons working in different departments and rope them in for training and coaching purposes, the Lt Governor asked the Sports Council.
For the first time, J&K is going to host 17 national events in different sports disciplines with a target participation of around 12000 athletes from other States/UTs, which will go a long way in promoting sports amongst the younger generation in the UT, remarked the Lt Governor.
Laying special emphasis on involving more youth from sensitive and rural areas, the Lt Governor asked the officials to link the youth engagement activities in these areas with Youth clubs.
Stressing on extending all the basic amenities to the sportspersons, the Lt Governor called for putting a dedicated focus on the up-gradation of existing infrastructure with facilities like drinking water, change room, approach road, seating arrangement, parking etc.
On IEC activities on Covid-19 pandemic, the Lt Governor asked the department to run a vibrant campaign regarding Vaccination and Covid Appropriate Behaviour.
In order to facilitate the Sports coaches and sportspersons (above 18 years), the Lt Governor directed for their inclusion in priority groups for vaccination.
He further asked the department to set a self-target for rejuvenating important water bodies of J&K.
The Lt Governor asked the Sports Department to continue providing sustained handholding to the young budding sportspersons of the UT and lay a solid platform for them to display their talent at higher level.
Taking serious note of delays in projects, the Lt Governor passed strict directions for the completion of all projects within the set timelines. He further instructed for completion of all sanctioned PMDP projects by the end of this year.
Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, Youth Services and Sports gave a detailed briefing about the future course of action for developing sports in the UT.
Dr Saleem Ur Rehman, Director General, Youth Services and Sports, J&K, and Nuzhat Gul, Secretary, J&K Sports Council, informed the meeting about the achievements made so far, besides the present status of various sports development projects.
Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Bipul Pathak, Principal Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj; Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor and other concerned officers attended the meeting.
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