Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday directed the Sports and Youth Affairs Department to develop playgrounds in all 6,236 gram panchayats by 2017. Patnaik gave this direction while reviewing the department’s performance vis-à-vis promises made to people by the BJD during the last general elections. The Chief Minister had on Thursday set dates for various departments in this regard.
It has been targeted that Rs 5 lakh would be spent for development of each playground. The Chief Minister also asked the department to enhance the assistance being given to youth clubs and disburse the enhanced amounts regularly. He praised the department for giving appointments to successful sportspersons at right times. Patnaik wanted that best of facilities be provided to sports hostels and centre of excellence be established for hockey and arrow sporting.
It was revealed at the meeting that a world class Hockey Complex confirming to the International Hockey Federation norms has been built at the Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex here. The complex has already hosted the FIH 8-Nation Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament and the Indo-Japan Hockey Test Series.
It was decided that a Swimming Pool Complex would be erected in each district at an expense of Rs 3,50,36,500. Such complexes have been approved for Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Ganjam (Brahmapur) and Subarnapur in the first phase. Renovation of existing Jhasakaten Sahu Swimming Pool Complex at Sambalpur is underway now.
The department claimed that it has appointed 31 meritorious sportsperson directly in Group C and D posts of the Odisha Police in the first phase on April 30. Similarly, it said a total amount of Rs 2.59 crore has been awarded to 365 sportsperson in 2014-15, construction of a Mini Stadium in every block has been emphasised.