BHOPAL, 8 July 2005 — A new sports policy aimed at developing talent at the grassroots level in Madhya Pradesh was formulated by Sports Minister O.P. Dhurve here and approved by the state Cabinet last week. Dhurve told a press conference the new sports policy will put emphasis on the rural folk, who constitute about 80 percent of the population of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, by getting them the opportunity to exhibit talent and hone their skills.
He said the main objective of the new policy is to make sports more people-friendly as a way to help produce athletes who will in futre put Madhya Pradesh on the national and international sports map.
Development of infrastructure for sports, identification and training of sport persons, coordination between sports unions and institutions and promotion of identified games are other objectives of the policy, he added.
Dhurve announced that Madhya Pradesh Sports Council is to be dissolved to make way for the Madhya Pradesh Sports Authority and give impetus to sports culture in the state under the new sports policy.
Replying to a question, Dhurve said that earlier politicians used to dominate the sports council but now in MP Sports Authority sportspersons will be nominated and they would call the shots.
He asserted that politics would not be allowed in sports activities at any level.
He informed that the new sports policy attaches special importance to coordination between education and sports, encouraging sportspersons and giving them suitable awards, providing training to the trainers, and technical officers, creating resources for sports and promoting water and adventure sports. He specifically said that the state government would provide grants and other facilities to those sports associations only, which have at least 50 percent networking at the state level.
The first sports policy of the state was formulated in 1989. Five years later after reviewing it new sports policy was announced.
Ms Ranjana Chaudhary, Principal secretary sports who was present at the press conference, said the Finance Department has okayed a corpus fund of Rs. 20 million for sports. For this provision of Rs 5 million would be made annually in the budget, she revealed.
Meanwhile, under infrastructure a sports ground would be developed in each village, a sports complex will be constructed at every district headquarter and natural resources will be exploited for promoting sports. Recognition will be given to only those new schools, which possess a sports ground.
Teachers of schools will be provided training in yoga and sports talent search will be organized. State integrated games will also be organized. Similarly, authorized and registered sports unions will be recognized and it will be made compulsory for their district level units to organize regular sports activities and to include government observers in selection of teams to bring about transparency in this process. Provisions have also been made for encouraging tribal sport talents.
For better coordination between education and sports special examinations will be organized for the players who fail to appear in the regular examinations due to participation in national and international sports events. A 40-minute sports period will be compulsory in schools and weightage in marks will be given to the players in recruitment of contract teachers.
Honorarium will be given to the sportspersons who win medals in the Olympics and Asian Games. A provision has been made to give weightage in the marks in professional courses, except medical.
Appointment in government service will also be considered for the sportspersons who win gold medals in recognized international competitions and the Vikram awardees.
