With the election fever gripping the State, the State Sports Minister swung into the election mode, listing the myriad achievements made during the last five years and dishing out assurances to be implemented over the next ten years while inaugurating the State level athletics competition for junior boys and girls at Raipur sports stadium on Saturday. He said that the State Government is gearing up for the National Sports 2018 aside from providing all kinds of sops to boost sports in the State.
Boys and girls from here each district are participating in the competition. While wishing them for the competition, the Minister said that the State Government is leaving no stone unturned to promote the children showing talent in the sports. “We are running several schemes to promote sports in the State,” he said.
He also convened a review meeting to take stock of the ongoing construction works which are being executed by the sports department in the sports directorate the same day. The secretary sports and executing agency officials attended the meeting.
Aggrawal sounded unhappy over the slow pace of the construction works, while asking the executing agencies to expedite the pace. He asked them to complete under-construction stadium one each in Dehradun and Haldwani by October 2016 so that these stadiums could be dedicated to the nation on the occasion of State inception day (Rajya Sthapna Diwas) on November 9. He also asked the officials to expedite the pace of the construction work involving Mussoorie-based Bhiladu stadium aside from the expansion work of Ransi stadium in Pauri, upgradation work of the stadium in Pithoragarh, construction of sports college in lelu and establishment of Pt Nain Singh Surveyor Mountaineering Institute in Munsyari.
While interacting with the media, Aggarawal said that State is organising National Sports-2018 to advance the cause of the State sportspersons. The sportspersons will be given out of turn appointment and promotion, he said, adding that the sportspersons will be given priority in all kind of recruitments.
He stressed that when the Congress Government came to power in 2012 the State’s sports budget was just Rs 10 crore. “We have been increasing budget allocation in sports head every year. For instance, it was Rs 40 crore in 2012-13, Rs 99 crore in 2013-14, Rs 129 crore in 2014-15, Rs 185 crore in 2015-16 and now Rs 250 crore for the ongoing financial year 2016-17,” the Minister said.
Besides, the amount of the cash prizes meant for the sportspersons, who won medals has been increased too, he said. “We have disbursed Rs 5 crore among the sportspersons as part of promotion over the past two years. Now former players are being given financial help or pension as well. We started Devbhoomi Uttrakhand Khel Ratna award, Devbhoomi Uttarakhand Dronacharya, award lifetime achievement award and State sports award to inspire the sportspersons,” he said.
“This aside, the State sports infrastructure is being revamped with the help of private sector players. We have framed separate rules to facilitate this. Now if a private sector develops sports infrastructure the State Government is giving Rs 50 lakh to them as a grant. Dehradun’s parade ground and pavilion ground are being developed too as sports hub. We are facilitating infrastructure for other sports like lawn Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball, Football, Athletics and swimming,” the Minister said.
listing other achievements of the State Government in the arena of sports, the Minister said that a multi-sports hall had been constructed in Parade Ground by spending Rs 15 crore to organise national and international level sports competitions. “Besides, international cricket stadium and sports complex are being constructed at the expense of Rs 240 crore in Dehradun. This aside, an international sports complex is coming up in Haldwani at the expense of Rs 192 crore. For this, we have sanctioned Rs 190 crore and Rs 120 crore for Dehradun and Haldwani respectively,” he said.
While mentioning the initiatives taken by the State Government in successfully organising the 38th National Sports competition, he said they have been creating infrastructure in Pithoragarh, Almora, Nainital, Haridwar and Dehradun districts. “We have approved Rs 10.80 crore to ensure that the things go on smoothly. For beautification of Ransi stadium in Pauri, we have approved Rs 4.99 crore and for Bhiladu stadium in Mussoorie we have approved Rs 33 lakh so far in the ongoing financial year. Pithoragarh Sports College has come up. We have approved Rs 20 crore to build Pt Nain Singh Surveyor Mountaineering Training Institute. Besides, we have organised three adventure sports in makeshifts. Sportsperson who have represented Uttarakhand in Rio-D-Generio would be given Rs 5 lakh each by the State Government. Sportsperson who have been enrolled in Sports colleges and hostels would be given Rs 175 instead of Rs 150 per day by way of diet expenses,” Aggrawal said.