Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sandeep Singh on Sunday said emphasis has been laid on constructing a playing field in every village as it may not be useful to build a stadium at block or district level and spend large amount of money on its maintenance.
"Players need well-maintained playing field for their regular practice and necessary facilities including proper diet on regular basis. Keeping this in view, government has increased the diet-allowance of sportspersons participating in state and national-level school sports competitions.” he said.
Talking to The Pioneer, the Sports Minister said, “Our focus now is to make Haryana a hub for sports training and talent spotting in the future. Big Sports stadium worth crores of rupees can’t be built everywhere. But we can build playground (some lakhs) for each village. Steps have been taken to provide them facilities of playground in their neighbour areas.”
Singh said that emphasis is also laid on training of players. In developed countries like Australia, New Zealand and other countries, they focus on training of players by investing big amount.
As international level tournament is being organised once in five years in a big stadium but cost of maintenance is very huge.
“Taking note of it, we have decided to focus on building infrastructure and facilities as well as training for players rather than spending huge money first constructing big stadium and its maintenance later on. We have sufficient number of stadiums in the State and no need to construct more big stadiums as of now.” he added.
The former Hockey star said that youths are encouraged to choose game as per their interest and strength and district officers of department of Sports and Youth Affairs have been directed to provide facilities to sportsmen based on their need. He said all sports are being promoted in the State and public representatives have been asked to design playground based on need of the players in their respective areas.
“We have come up with an ambitious plan for popularising sports by creating sports infrastructure as well as adequate facilities for sportsmen at the village level. Our Government is committed to building a playing field in every village," he said, pointing out that playground would be developed based on local youth’s choice and their strength on the games like football, hockey, badminton, kabbadi, kho-kho, volleyball, archery, basketball, handball and tennis as well as depending on the area provided by the local residents.
Legislators can submit proposal after the approval on construction of playground by the gram sabha and the gram panchayat. “After approval from the gram panchayat, the concerned technical assistant / junior engineer will prepare an estimate of the work as per drawing / design / verification of the playfield. The progress and quality will be the responsibility of the officers concerned of sports and youth affairs department, he added.
102 SPORTS NURSERIES SHUT DOWN AFTER BEING FOUND FAKE
The Sports Minister said that the State Government provides several facilities for sportsmen in sports nurseries. In course of recent inspection in some sports nurseries like archery, athletics, boxing, football, handball, kabaddi or kho-kho, swimming volleyball among others, it was found that genuine sportsmen have not been enrolled.
An inquiry was conducted by the department officers concerned and based on reports, 102 sports nurseries were shutdown in the State. “Permission for opening sports nurseries is being given to those who meet the necessary guidelines. Transparency is being maintained in giving permission to open sports nursery,” he said, pointing out that sports nurseries have been set up in the State to impart training to schoolchildren for different sports so that budding sportspersons could enhance their skills and compete in all national and international sports events.
ONLY WOMEN COACHES WILL TRAIN FEMALE SPORTS PERSONS
Due to some complaints in the recent past of sexual harassment against coaches, the Minister said that from now on, only women coaches would train female sportspersons in the state-run academies. Haryana’s women athletes, wrestlers, boxers, shooters and, most recently, a teenaged cricketer have earned laurels for the country. They will be given the best possible coaching to ensure that they become the best they can.
“The women players will feel more secure if they have women coaches and managers and their families too will be less anxious during their travel,” he added.
He said complaints regarding indiscipline among some players and coaches are being received, which was unacceptable. "A flying squad has been set up to check attendance of trainers at stadiums, sports centres and nurseries," he said, adding that it would be ensured that outsiders were not allowed to disturb the training of players.
49 SPORTS PERSONS OFFERED GOVT JOBS
Singh said each year Haryana players get medals at national and international level and they are offered jobs depending on the criteria.
He said 49 sportspersons have been offered Government jobs under Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2018 and cash awards of Rs 195.05 crore have been given to sportspersons for their achievements during the year 2018-19 and 2019-20.
The Minister who is a former Indian Hockey captain said that the State would prepare world-class players, for which a centre of excellence for between eight and 10 disciplines would be set up on the pattern of the NIS in Patiala. “Along with good trainers, players will get hostels and other facilities. If a player gets an Olympic, Asian or Commonwealth medal, the district sports and youth affairs officer of the district will be honoured,” he said.