In a surprise move, Sports and Youth Affairs minister Chetan Chauhan sought a special discussion in the Assembly on the state of sports affairs in the state. The demand surprised everyone as generally such demands are made by Opposition members.
Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit too said that a minister demanding a discussion was an important issue.
A former international cricketer, Chauhan, while replying to a question of Harshvardhan Bajpai (BJP) during Question Hour on Thursday, narrated about the projects launched by the state government to promote sports in UP.
“But there is much required for the sector. Hence I suggest that the Assembly should discuss at least for two hours as to how sports should be promoted in the state,” he said.
Bajpai said that sports helped a country to become a world power. He also quoted how USSR was world power when they were good in sports and the US and China too won hundreds of gold medals in Olympics and turned into a world power.
Chauhan however said that several projects were underway including construction of stadium and other sports infrastructures. The government was running 44 sports hostels to train 890 sportsperson in 16 sports beside three sports colleges were also functioning in the state.