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No activities, but sops for sportspersons
THE GOVERNMENT has time to announce sops for sportspersons, but no plan to breathe life into the moribund sports system in the State. Not surprisingly, the bonanza for SAF and National Games medal winners that the government has announced may prove meaningless in the long run. After all, who will win medals when the system to help sportspersons acquire mettle is almost defunct?
THE GOVERNMENT has time to announce sops for sportspersons, but no plan to breathe life into the moribund sports system in the State.
Not surprisingly, the bonanza for SAF and National Games medal winners that the government has announced may prove meaningless in the long run. After all, who will win medals when the system to help sportspersons acquire mettle is almost defunct?
Indeed, sports activities have been at a virtual standstill in the State in the last six months. For one, there is a tussle between the offices of the principal secretary, Sports, Sri Kishan and the Uttar Pradesh Sports Directorate. An ‘unofficial’ instruction to sports heads of all the districts of the State to support Sports Minister RK Chaudhury’s political party has made matters worse.
“The assembly election is round the corner and we have been ‘instructed’ to support rallies of the minister’s party, make arrangements for ‘food packets’, stay and conveyance of party workers in every district,” said the sports officer of an eastern district over the phone, preferring anonymity.
“We change the daily diet of hostellers just to meet the expenses for rallies.”
“Over the past five months, there has been no supply of sports goods to any district. Thus, were no sports activities. It is painful to work as agents of a political party rather than serving the cause of sports,” he added.
Just a few days back, the Sports Directorate handed over some sports goods to 61 district sports heads. But the stock was enough only for October-November.
Not may were willing to say much about the non-supply of adequate goods since February last.
“Sports goods are purchased centrally by the directorate. So far, almost all the districts have got their quota of goods,” said Director Sports VK Kharbanda.
Sources said instead of approved brands, as decided by the directorate earlier, the goods, approved as per the rates of the directorate of industries, Kanpur, have reportedly been supplied. “We didn’t get any permanent sports equipment like nets, iron poles etc,” said another sports officer.
“With bad equipment, we can’t hope to produce top stars.”
Inactivity in the Sports Directorate is evident. “Nothing much has been happening for the past six months. We have only had meetings,” said a senior clerk, adding, “Sometimes I have no work throughout the day.”
A senior officer said he, too, had no work since the Principal Secretary’s office was taking every decision.
An ad hoc hockey coach said he spent his own money to purchase goods. “How can I neglect the interest of my trainees?” he asked. Perhaps the authorities need to come up with answers.
