Gujarat govt to open Vivekananda centres to promote sports

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has announced setting up of as many as 14,000 Swami Vivekananda centres across the state to encourage youths to take to sports.

"We have also decided to set up a sports school in each district of the state for preparing sportsmen for winning medals at Olympics. We took this decision following the poor performance of Indian players at recently concluded London Olympics," Modi said.

He was addressing a Swami Vivekanand Yuva Parishad held at Navlakhi compound on Rajmahal Road here tonight.

On the occasion, Modi announced appointment of Jatin Soni as the vice chancellor of the upcoming Sports University.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his remark that "money does not grow on trees," Modi said,"the student unions of colleges and universities should pass a resolution praising Singh for improving their knowledge through his statement".

Criticising the Centre, the chief minister said," the current rulers have taken country on the path of destruction instead of the one shown by Swami Vivekanand, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia".

The state Youth Services and Cultural Activities department has organised a series of seven such conclaves commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Speaking on the concluding conclave here, Modi said," If Centre provides jobs to one crore youths, I will generate one crore jobs for the youth of Gujarat".

Modi informed on the occasion that his government has hiked the scholarship of sportspersons and also raised DA for sport teachers and trainers.