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Sport - Sports : General

Commission suggests changes

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Sports Commission in its final report, submitted to the Government on Saturday, has suggested a slew of recommendations for the comprehensive development of sports and games in the State.

The 116-page report comprising 13 chapters touches upon almost all areas connected with the sports administration in Kerala besides a draft sports policy.

At the submission ceremony held at the Durbar Hall in the Secretariat, the report was received by the Sports Minister, M. Vijayakumar, from the Commission’s chairman, A.K. Pandya, and officially unveiled by the Education Minister, M.A. Baby, who was the chief guest. The presence of Oscar winner, Resul Pookkutty in the dais, along with the Food and Civil Supplies Minister, C. Divakaran, and the KSSC president, T.P. Dasan, added a touch of glamour to the occasion. Besides the other Commission members, the function was also attended by a large gathering of sports officials, coaches and former internationals.

Unveiling the report, the Education Minister said that the Government would not allow the report to gather dust and that its recommendations would be implemented as soon as possible. In his presidential address, the Sports Minister lauded the Commission for having come out with such “revolutionary proposals” which, he felt, would have a direct impact in the National sports scene as such within the next few years. Explaining the rationale behind the various proposals included in the report, Mr. Pandya said the Commission was always guided, during the course of its work, by the work ethic of providing the State with an action-oriented plan leading to further excellence in the area of sports and games rather than one of high prose.

Roadmap

Among the major proposals included in the report is the roadmap for the establishment of a sports university in the State, so as to provide a linkage with education and job opportunities for meritorious sportspersons, and the creation of a Kerala Institute of Sports Medical Sciences and Research so as to help the State overcome the total absence of sports science support in its training programmes now. The university has been proposed to be set up in Kozhikode and the sports medical sciences and research institute in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Commission has also suggested the introduction of sports academies at the school level and centres for excellence in the college and university level to train sportspersons in 15 priority disciplines.

The 15 disciplines suggested to be included in the State priority list includes athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing/kayak, cycling, fencing, football, gymnastics, handball, kabaddi, kho-kho, rowing and volleyball.

Further, it has also been recommended that an Elite Training Centre be set up in the State capital for training State-based internationals for further glory.

The other recommendations include the construction of the high altitude training centre in Munnar with an international focus, a pension scheme for sportspersons, a novel approach towards providing financial assistance to national campers from the State, provisions for the conduct of separate examinations for those doing national duty and on pursuing higher studies on a convenient basis spread over a few more years than currently regulated, establishment of a sports school in each district, revival of club culture, amendments to the Town Planning Act and the Kerala Sports Act 2000, the creation of a State sports development fund, the establishment of a dedicated technical wing within the KSSC to ensure a sound delivery systems and the institution of two trophies to ensure better participation of students at the college and university level.

Finally, the Commission has also suggested that, a surcharge of 0.50 per cent on tax collected from the sale of liquor, be levied as a cess so as to meet cumulative fund requirements for the implementation of its recommendations.

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