UNION YOUTH Affairs and Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar today said a nation-wide campaign would be launched to attract youths towards sports activities in the country by synergising the Panchayat network with 2.5lakh youth clubs under Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan.
The Minister expressed concern over neglect of rural and urban slums’ potential in sporting arena and stressed the need for tapping this potential.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) convocation function here today, Aiyar disapproved the idea of making huge expenditure on raising sport infrastructure, including the proposed Rs 5,145 crore for 2010 Commonwealth Games. Instead, the major chunk of budgetary allocation should go to the talent development and related activities, he added.
Further, he stated that Sport Authority of India and institutions such as Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education should strive for expanding the pool of talented sportsmen from present level of mere 10,000 youths. According to present figures, only three crore youths of the total 40 crore have access to sport facility and that too mostly in urban India.
The Minister assured to consider on top priority any development proposal reaching him from LNIPE. Aiyar also directed officials of the institute to place life size statue of late Madhavrao Scindia on campus after the members of board drew his attention to the long-pending demand.
{{/usCountry}}The Minister assured to consider on top priority any development proposal reaching him from LNIPE. Aiyar also directed officials of the institute to place life size statue of late Madhavrao Scindia on campus after the members of board drew his attention to the long-pending demand.
{{/usCountry}}Members including former minister Bhagwan Singh Yadav, Tanwant Singh Keer and Virendra Singh Rana proposed to the Union Minister placing of a statue of Scindia there.
At the outset, Aiyar with UGC vice-chairman Prof VN Rajasekharan Pillai and other members of board of Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education and VC Maj. Gen. SN Mukherjee were present at fourth convocation of the country’ premier institution here.