Idea mooted during 34th National Games in 2011 and followed by trips of Minister a and officials to countries like France and Germany may possibly take a shape this time round with the Sport Department inviting private players to set up a world class sports university in the State. A meeting of interested investors has been called on February 5 who can place applications till February 20 for the purpose.
Significantly, a similar step made twice in 2012 could not yield anything. However, the sports department put up a brave face. “The Department of Art, Culture and Youth Affairs has made necessary preparations this time and we hope that good number of investors would participate,” said a senior official of the department without revealing much about the previous futile exercises.
Apart from the university the endeavour also plans to set up 15 different academies for various sports disciplines in the facilities built during the National Games. Entire project would be developed on public private partnership model. The selected private player would form a joint venture company with the Government in the ratio of 51:49 basis.
Talking about objectives of project, Sports Director Ashok Kumar said the facility would build a long term plan for sustainable development of sports in the State besides producing and shaping talented sports personnel of international standard.
The joint venture company will be responsible for establishment of academies and university and also upgrade, operate, maintain and manage the facilities. The players selected, approximately 600 odd students from Jharkhand, would be provided intensive sports training along with opportunities for formal education and vocational training. Academies would run fully residential programme with provisions of playing kits, summer and winter clothing, ceremonial kits, comprehensive medical care, group insurance scheme and other benefits.
Disciplines like football, badminton, shooting, lawn tennis, swimming, gymnastic, cycling, hockey, wrestling, archery, volleyball, taekwondo, table tennis and kayaking and canoeing would be available in the academies. Sports University would be exclusively for physical education, sports and all related streams.
The selected private player would be responsible for providing everything required to the students and also pay Rs 1000 as monthly stipend to each of the enrolled that would be increased by 5 per cent with every academic year. The company apart from the free training to be provided to 600 odd students selected from the State may enroll more number of students from across the country at market driven fee structure.