Kabaddi and kho-kho will not form part of the 2010 Commonwealth Games for which 17 events have been sanctioned, Sports Minister said.
NEW DELHI: Kabaddi and kho-kho will not form part of the 2010 Commonwealth Games for which 17 events have been sanctioned, Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Even though Kabaddi and kho-kho have not been included in the 2010 Games by the Commonwealth Games Federation, Government is giving special encouragement to the two disciplines, he said during the Question Hour.
Replying to questions, Aiyar said so far Government has sanctioned Rs3,002 crore for the Games for which facilities and projects were expected to be completed well in time.
On whether adequate accommodation will be available for visitors from within and outside India during the Games, the Minister said efforts were being made to create appropriate facilities and the matter was under constant review.
Asked if the 15 km distance between the venues and the Games Village will not be a limiting factor for the sportpersons, he said the area for the village, being set up near the Akshardham Temple in the capital, had been chosen after taking permission of the authorities concerned and work on it was going on.
To a question about selection of talent for future international sporting events including Olympics, Aiyar said Government proposes to start a new system to provide facilities and attract talent at the panchayat level.
This proposal is expected to come up before the Cabinet shortly, he said.
Aiyar said that besides construction and upgradation of the major infrastructure facilities including the Games Village, the Delhi government has proposed construction of a number of flyovers and bridges and widening of roads in addition to betterment of general civic facilities.
"These include the project of the Link Road (Tunnel) from the Games Village site to the vicinity of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and bye-passes at Mahipalpur and Masoodpur (in the capital) for improvement in airport connectivity," he said.
For expediting the required clearances of projects, an empowered committee has been set up with representatives from agencies and authorities concerned, he said, adding that it was meeting regularly to facilitate speedy clearances.
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