Govt making efforts to set up more sports facilities

The government is working with states to expand sports infrastructure which would help nurture sporting talent in the country.

"The government is trying to create more sports facilities along with the states," Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Sarbananda Sonowal said during Question Hour.

With regard to maintaining sports facilities that are already there, he said, "we should have a utilisation legacy" and respective state governments should make efforts in this regard.

To nurture sporting talent, there are various programmes including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) scheme, whereby competitions are held for rural sports, women sports, northeast games and competitions are also organised in states affected by Left Wing Extremism.

The minister said letters have been written to all the members of Parliament asking them to create sports infrastructure in the village they are adopting under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna and set aside at least 10 per cent of MPLAD fund for setting up sports infrastructure in their respective constituencies.

To another query, Sonowal said the government would look to create more sports facilities for tribal youth and nurture their talent.