J&K earmarks Rs 2386 crore for education, sports; focus shifts to  infra development in far-flung areas 

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 16: Jammu and Kashmir government is establishing state-of-art sports facilities to help budding sportspersons to hone their skills in the union territory.

Various steps have been taken by the LG administration to create a world-class sports infrastructure in J&K

Sports policy has been introduced to make J&K a powerhouse in sports. Every kind of support is being extended to the local sportspersons who strive hard to make UT and the nation proud in different sports disciplines. The sports activities are being conducted throughout the year while infrastructure work is being executed on a massive scale.

The focus is not merely on activities like Cricket and Football but equal importance is being given to games like Volleyball, Kho-Kho, Kabaddi, Water, and Winter Sports which were ignored in the past.

The sports budget for Jammu and Kashmir is higher than the biggest in several states of the country and infrastructure is being augmented to the highest level and the J&K government is keen to provide a platform to the youth.

Recently, Bakshi stadium which was in dilapidated condition due to poor policies of earlier regimes was dedicated to the public after being upgraded and revamped at a cost of Rs. 59 crores. “Bakshi Stadium has been a central place of youth for decades, nurturing many dreams and making local sportspersons famous all over the country. This Stadium infused the passion of sports into the lives of millions of people and the legacy has been passed to the new generation”, LG, Manoj Sinha said.

There were clear directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop MA Stadium in Jammu as per ICC Standards and Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar as per FIFA Standards.

Today, the sports sector in UT is witnessing rapid development. World-class facilities and coaching is being extended to the youth at the grass root level to showcase their talent in various sports disciplines. The officials are redoubling their efforts to make the J&K sporting hub of the country.

Recently Manoj Sinha inaugurated sports infrastructure projects worth Rs 18.10 cr and dedicated the new sports facilities to the local youth. The projects inaugurated include Synthetic Football Turf at Khel Gaon Nagrota worth Rs 5 cr; Mini Stadium at Bhour Camp, Chatha costing Rs 1 cr, and Playfield at Purmandal at a cost of Rs 2 cr. The Mini Stadium at Bhour Camp will benefit 5000 youth by accommodating games like Cricket, Volleyball, and Kabaddi.

Funded under CAPEX, JKIDFC, Khelo India, and PMDP, the inauguration and foundation laying of these projects marks the beginning of the next phase of modernization of sports infra in J&K.

Moving ahead towards developing state-of-the-art sports infrastructure in the UT, the government is creating modern facilities and developing sports culture even in remote areas for talented sportspersons of the UT.

LG administration is working with a mission to take sports to the Panchayat level and provide opportunities to the youth living in far-flung areas. With better training and modern infrastructure, our youths now represent the country in international events.

The Government is providing sports infrastructure and facilities to the young budding sportspersons of the UT. Now, it is the responsibility of the coaches and officials to hone the talent and improve J&K’s medal tally in national and international level competitions.

The central government has been liberal in providing funds for Education and Sports in Jammu and Kashmir. The combined budget of education and sports of Jammu and Kashmir is Rs 2386 crores, which is way more than various bigger States and UTs across the country. In the last few months, J&K Sports Council has emerged as a powerful vehicle for the identification of platforms for young talent. Time-bound targets are being fixed for the coaches in different disciplines of various games.

The government has asked the Sports Council to work strategically, identify such places where youth are performing well and develop them as a Special Sports Hub. The Sports Council can also work with other departments such as Rural Development, Police, and Higher Education Department for professional services and technical know-how in the form of convergence in the field of sports.