Lok Sabha member Botcha Jhansi Lakshmi declared open the 3-day state-level rural PYKKA group-1 athletics and volleyball tournament -2011 at Rajiv Sports Complex here on Friday. Some 1364 boys and girls below 16-years of age from 22 districts in the state are participating in the tournament.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jhansi Lakshmi said that the UPA Government with an intention to promote sports in panchayats had launched Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) in 2008 and so far released Rs.1.60 crores for infrastructure facilities in a phased manner.
In the first phase S. Kota, Cheepurupalli, Bhogapuram and Gantyada mandals, in the II phase Balijipeta, Salur, Bobili and Jiyyammavalasa and in the III phase Vizianagaram, Nellimarla, Garividi, Garugubilli and Kothavalasa were covered.
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Under this scheme, Rs. 5lakhs for mandal headquarters village, Rs. 1lakh for each panchayat for development of playgrounds, Rs. 20,000 for each mandal headquarter and Rs. 10,000 for each panchayat for procurement of sports equipment in addition to Rs. 24,000 and Rs.12,000 each for the upkeep of playgrounds and honorarium to mandal/panchayat-level sports persons was being given.
Earlier, she unfurled the National Flag, inspected march past by participants and torch run by international players in Volleyball Ravi Kumar and Athletics Krishnam Raju.
Collector M. Veerabrahmaiah said that all the players were being provided lodging and boarding facilities and the official teams constituted for the purpose would oversee the arrangements. District Sports Development Officer K. Manohar was present.
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