Sports Policy to come up by December End – Pramod Madhwaraj
Udupi: “The State government will come up with a sports policy by the end of December” said Pramod Madhwaraj Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.
He was speaking after the inauguration of the State-level Pre-university students Athletic Sports meet organised by the state PU Department Bengaluru, in association with SMS Pre-University College Brahmavar here on Saturday, November 11.
Addressing the gathering Pramod Madhwaraj said, “The policy will not only guide how sports events are organized, but will also decide how to identify sports talents and nurture them. We have already organized meetings in 5 districts to get the feedback for drafting the policy. The policy is being formulated after study and suggestions from stakeholders and would lay a strong foundation for sports activities in the state”.
Pramod further said, “The government has decided to select and train 1,000 top athletes in the state for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The selection will be online and 700 applications are registered. The government would tie up with the corporates to sponsor the athletes. The training would be through the funds supported by corporate social responsibility”, he added.
Pramod also said, “Giving grace marks in exams for students with bright sports talent in schools and colleges, incorporating sports quota in government jobs are some of the proposals the minister is keen to incorporate in the proposed sports policy. Sports activities are generally being seen as detrimental to academic interests. So, we have to give some preference or grace marks for students who excel in sports to safeguard their interests. Students and kids should be encouraged to take up Sports as a career”, he said.
While concluding Pramod Madhwaraj congratulated the organisers for organising the state- level sports meet and announced Rs 8 Lakhs from the state government.
Nearly 2,000 boys and girls from 32 districts from the State are participating in the three-day meet at the SMS Stadium.
Udupi ZP vice president Sheela K Shetty, TP president Nalini Pradeep Rao ZP member Sudhakar Shetty, Varamballi GP president Naveenchandra Nayak, DC Priyanka Mary Francis, SP Dr Sanjeev M Patil, International sports person Purandar, Sports DD of Udupi district Dr Roshan Kumar Shetty DDPU Gayathri Devi, OSC Educational Institutions Correspondent Fr C A Isaac and others were present.