Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the state was recruiting sportspersons directly under the ‘Padak Lao, Pad Pao’ initiative, citing the expansion of sports infrastructure and incentives for medal winners as part of the changes made since 2017.
In a message marking the sixth day of Sharadiya Navratri, Adityanath extended greetings to people and described Maa Katyayani as a symbol of women’s courage, resolve and valour. He said the state’s transformation was being driven by faith, development and heritage.
In a post on X, the chief minister criticised the previous government’s tenure, alleging that before 2017, fear and lawlessness restricted opportunities for women and girls. He claimed that sports grounds were controlled by mafias, resources were lacking and many talented girls could not pursue their ambitions because of limited opportunities.
Adityanath said the situation had changed over the past nine and a half years, with greater emphasis on security, encouragement and sports facilities. He cited infrastructure ranging from village sports grounds and block-level mini stadiums to district stadiums, divisional sports colleges and the Major Dhyan Chand Sports University in Meerut.
The chief minister said medal winners at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games were receiving cash awards worth lakhs and crores of rupees, alongside opportunities for direct recruitment under the state’s sports policy.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister said medal winners at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games were receiving cash awards worth lakhs and crores of rupees, alongside opportunities for direct recruitment under the state’s sports policy.
{{/usCountry}}He named athletes and players including Parul Chaudhary, Priyanka Goswami, Prachi Chaudhary and Annu Rani in athletics; Asmita Dey in judo; Deepti Sharma and Meghna Singh in cricket; Vandana Kataria in hockey; and Divya Kakran in wrestling. He said their performances at the Commonwealth and Asian Games had brought recognition to the country and the state.
Adityanath said the government was seeking to encourage sporting talent, recognise achievements and provide greater security for athletes’ futures. His remarks linked the Navratri message celebrating women’s strength with the state government’s claims about expanding opportunities for female sportspersons.
The statements about conditions before 2017 and the changes since then were made by the chief minister in his social media post.