Sport Spirit Picking Up Among Local Youth
Over One Lakh Youth To Join 50 Mega Sports Events In 2016
Band Culture To Be Restored In Schools
By Itifaq lone
As the sport fever is gradually picking up among the local youth, the state government with the onset of summer is planning to engage over one lakh youth in different sports related activities across valley.
The preparations in this regard are in full swing by the Youth Services and Sports department, believing that the event could be mega following the successful completion of similar kind of event during 2015.
Although there are more youth attracted to the cricket which is emerging as the most entertaining game across globe, the department believes that they will invest similar efforts in other sports as well to explore the talent for national and international competitions.
“Almost 50 indoor and outdoor games U14, 17 and U19 will be held in cricket and all the educational institutes of the valley are expected to participate in it,” said Bashir Ahmad, Joint Director Youth Service and Sports Jammu and Kashmir.
Bashir said that to infuse the true sense of sportsmanship and offer equal opportunities to all youth to hone their skills, the tournaments would be started from the zone level.
“We are very keen to look and stand forward for physical education of the youth. And it is what needs to be done by our department”
As an innovate idea, the department has started a new ‘Rehbar-e- Kheel Programme’ from 2016 with the collaboration of State Sports council and Directorate of school education.
The aim of the scheme is to restore the lost glory of morning assemblies in schools in which physical training is offered besides playing bands.
“Under the scheme Bands for morning assemblies are being restored in Schools and Higher Secondaries. Like other subjects physical education will be given a valuable time slot.”
To ensure the efforts don’t go in vein, Ahmad, however, gears up his team of the department at all the levels from zones to ensure the programmes are executed with full spirit and zeal.
The school authorities are mostly concentrating on academics while ignoring the co-curricular activities. They should not forget only a sound body does have a sound mind,” he said and urged all the authorities to offer equally opportunities among students for the physical education.
Ahmad, however, said that no sports event will be conducted in the month of June 2016 (Month of Ramadan), and October, November which happens the academic exam session of 11th, 12th classes.
“Every player will be facilitated properly and will be provided with enhanced refreshment of 50 rupees per day, which was 25 rupees/day per student until 2015,” he said.
During 2015, only 44 outdoor/indoor games were conducted by the department. As many as 132001 including 94569 Boys and 37432 girls participated. .
At district level the total figures were 29280 (19724 boys and 9556 girls) and at state level 4635 players participated in all over games which includes 3146 boys and 1483 girl players in all formats in U14, U17 and in U19.
Progressively, the department is anticipating a steep rise in the numbers of participants in the upcoming season. From our previous efforts so far, our youth have won 38 national level Medals, 5 gold medals, 10 silver and 23 bronze medals so far.
The story has appeared first in print edition of April 6.
