Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that the government would provide sports kits to every village panchayat by next year.
Speaking at the sports kits distribution ceremony, Yogi also appealed to Yuvak Mangal Dal and Mahila Mangal Dal to lead the mission to keep the villages clean and beautiful and develop them as centres of harmony and cohesion.
The chief minister also distributed sports kits to a dozen youth and women Mangal Dals from different districts of Lucknow division on the occasion.
He said that the opening of village secretariats would not only enable people to get caste, birth and other certificates, but also avail benefits of Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Chief Minister Yogi said that work was going on at a war footing to build playgrounds in 30,000 villages, along with separate open gyms for men and women, mini stadiums in blocks and stadiums in districts.
The chief minister urged members of Yuva Mangal Dal and Mahila Mangal Dal to take on the leadership role and organise contests in folk arts, music and sports for a healthy atmosphere in villages, devoid of animosity among people.
Yogi remarked further that youth and women's Mangal Dals were the basis of India's prosperity, which could realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of self-reliant India.
"Our government is working towards building sports grounds in villages, mini stadiums at block level and stadiums at district level. Good coaches are being hired. International players are being given a monthly honorarium of Rs 1.5 lakh as coaches," he said.
Advising Yuva and Mahila Mangal Dals, Yogi said that they should understand their responsibility in society and also report illegal activities going on in their surroundings to the police. He said they should also take care of schools and contribute to the smooth functioning of the village secretariats.
Chief Minister Yogi said that a society could not become self-reliant as long as its dependence on the government remained high. He added that when society leads and the government backs it, then it becomes self-reliant and moves towards prosperity.
Yogi said that youth and women's Mangal Dal teams should form the basis of sports activities in their village. He said that the village had to be aware and for this, the youth and women's Mangal Dals would have to come forward to lead.
Chief Minister Yogi said that the purpose of giving sports kit was to promote a healthy competition. “We have to prepare our generation for sports in the times to come,” he added.
Yogi said that Yuvak Mangal Dal was formed in 1956 and Mahila Mangal Dal in 1985-86 and they need to be expanded more rapidly.
In the programme, Yogi also gave away appointment letters to six international players who got jobs as coaches on an honorarium of Rs 1.5 lakh per month.