Stating that the draft of the State sports policy is “almost ready”, Minister of State for Youth Services and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj said on Tuesday that it was likely to be announced in the State Budget for 2017-18.
Speaking to presspersons at Mangalore University, the Minister said that the draft had been prepared after consulting stakeholders. It would be circulated among Arjuna award winners for the final touch up. Later, the Education Department would be consulted on the policy because it involved awarding grace marks to sportspersons. Later, it would be placed before the Cabinet.
“Hopefully the Chief Minister will announce the policy in the State Budget,” he said.
According to the Minister, If the policy gets the approval of the Legislative Assembly, it has better chances of getting implemented.
The draft had been prepared after holding meeting of stakeholders in Belagavi, Kalaburgi, Bengaluru, Udupi and Mysuru. “Opinion of every sportsperson has been taken. We have not let anybody down,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister declared open the south zone inter-university kho kho tournament of men on the campus and released the sports policy of Mangalore University.
Mr. Madhwaraj said that he was urging the government to double the budgetary allocation for sports in the State by from ₹145 crore. The State made a budgetary allocation of about ₹5,000 crore for the Health Department. “If the budget for sports is increased, people can maintain physical fitness and there will not be any need on the part of the government to spend much on health,” he said.
The Minister said that the Union government’s budgetary allocation for sports now stood at ₹900 crore.
He complemented Mangalore University for bringing out the sports policy even before the government could announce its policy.
The Minister asked the university to implement the policy in its true spirit.
S. Prakash, Arjuna award winner, was felicitated.
