Govt working dedicatedly to promote sports, encourage athletes: CM Yogi

Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 4 (ANI): The state government, fulfilling the vision of PM Narendra Modi, is working dedicatedly for the promotion of sports in Uttar Pradesh and is also developing sports infrastructure to encourage athletes, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday.
While attending the closing-prize distribution ceremony of Brahmalin Mahant Avedyanath Smriti All India Kabaddi Competition in Gorakhpur, Adityanath said, “We have taken several steps to promote sports culture in the state. Playgrounds and open gyms are being developed in every village. Stadiums and mini-stadiums have been built at the district level.”
He said that at present, 77 stadiums, 68 multi-purpose sports halls, 39 swimming pools, 2 international cricket stadiums, 14 synthetic hockey grounds, 36 gyms, 3 synthetic running tracks, 19 dormitories, 16 basketball stadiums, 11 wrestling halls, 11 weightlifting halls have been built in Uttar Pradesh.
He added that training in 16 types of sports is being imparted through three sports colleges and 44 sports hostels. The allowance of players for the National Championship has been increased from Rs 1000 to Rs 2500.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister said that since 1994 the expenditure on various items of sports hostel was never increased. Along with increasing this, the diet money of the players has been increased from Rs 250 to Rs 375 per day. To prepare players for international competitions, 50 players have been engaged as coaches on an honorarium of Rs 1.50 lakh. In this sequence, Eklavya Sports Fund has been established along with increasing the grant amount for the players.
Promulgating the Sports Development and Promotion Rules 2020, a provision of Rs 8.55 crore has been made in this financial year to promote sports. Under this, arrangements have been made to give a grant of Rs 60,000 for Tehsil level competitions, Rs 5 lakh for district level competitions and Rs 15 lakh for divisional level competitions. The construction of the state’s first sports university named after Major Dhyanchand in Meerut is going on at a fast pace, informed Yogi.
“Setting up Khelo India Center is being taken forward under the One District One Sports Scheme. In this sequence, all kinds of facilities and assistance are also being provided to disabled players,” added the CM.
CM Yogi said that arrangements have been made to give prize money to the players of the state who won medals in the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth.
In the Olympic singles event, the gold medalist will be given Rs 6 crore, the silver medalist Rs 4 crore and the bronze medalist Rs 3 crore. In the team games of the Olympics, this amount will be Rs 3, 2 and 1 crore, respectively. The gold medalist of the Asian Games will be given Rs 3 crore, the silver medalist Rs 1.5 crore and the bronze medalist Rs 75 lakh. Moreover, Rs 1.5 crore will be given to the gold medalist in the Commonwealth Games and World Championships, while Rs.75 lakh to the silver medalist and Rs.50 lakh to the bronze medalist.
Similarly, in the singles event in South Asian Games, the gold medalist will get Rs.6 lakh, the silver medalist will get Rs.4 lakh and the bronze medalist will get Rs.2 lakh. In the team events, this amount will be Rs 2 lakh, Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 respectively.
CM Yogi said that Rs 10 lakh will be given to the players of the state participating in the Olympics and Rs 5 lakh each to the players participating in the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the government has arranged financial assistance of Rs 20,000 per month for the players of the state who have won the Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, Khel Ratna and Padma Awards in the field of sports. Along with this, financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per month to international-level players, Rs 6,000 to national-level players and Rs 4,000 per month to state-level players has been approved.
To encourage the sportspersons, the government bestows Laxman Award in the men’s category and Rani Lakshmi Bai Award in the women’s category. Under this, players are given a cash amount of Rs 3.11 lakh along with bronze statues of Laxmanji and Rani Laxmibai, said the CM.
Instructing the MLAs and MPs to promote sports competitions by making arrangements for stadiums, open gyms etc. at the village level, the Chief Minister said that efforts should be made to connect the traditional games. He said that being the largest state in the country by population, Uttar Pradesh also has the largest number of sailors. These boats can be associated with water-related sports.
Expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the closing ceremony of the Kabaddi competition, Additional Chief Secretary (Sports) Navneet Sehgal said that according to the vision and intent of the Chief Minister, a boat race competition will be organized in this area in the month of January-February to connect the sailors with the game.
A new sports policy is being prepared in the state and Uttar Pradesh University Games will also be organized. Under this, a rowing competition will be held at Ramgarhtal in Gorakhpur.
The Additional Chief Secretary said that the search for land has also commenced building a sports city in this area. Gorakhpur MP Ravikishan Shukla, Kushinagar MP Vijay Dubey, Sports Director RP Singh, District Kabaddi Association President Arunesh Shahi, Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association Vice President Dinesh Singh, Hockey Uttar Pradesh Vice President Dheeraj Singh Harish, Dr Vibhrat Chand Kaushik were present on the occasion. (ANI)