Minister for Tourism and Sports Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao on Tuesday said proposals for development of 15 sports complexes in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode in the State had been sent for approval of the government.
Addressing a review meeting on various projects proposed to be implemented and the ones in progress, the Minister said works for construction of at least three sports centres in three different regions of the State would be launched in the first phase immediately after Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy approves the proposal.
The Minister said that as part of the decision to encourage sports at all levels, the government is trying to focus on development of infrastructure facilities. Under the Centrally-sponsored Khel India scheme, sports complexes were being developed in Visakhapatnam, Kadapa and East Godavari among a few other districts. The idea was to encourage people with talent in different sports in rural areas and help them hone their skills, he said.
Mr. Rao said similar to last year when YSR Kreeda Puraskarams worth ₹4.5 crore were given to rural sportspersons in the State, this year too proposals were sent for government approval. Pointing to the 2% sports quota in government jobs, he said the Collectors had been asked to furnish the list of vacant posts under sports quota, which would be filled at the earliest.
The Minister said four tourism circuits were being developed in Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Rayalaseema districts with an aim to attract tourists from other States. Talakona, Horsley Hills and Tirupati areas would be developed under the Rayalaseema circuit, Bhavani Island, Kanaka Durga temple and Buddhist centres would be groomed under Krishna-Guntur circuit while under Godavari tourist circuit, areas like Annavaram and Dindi would get a facelift. He said these tourist circuits would be popularised through an app designed for the purpose. Besides, five-star hotels would be developed in all the 13 districts across the State, he added.
The Minister said activities related to youth would be taken up on a large-scale in August if there was no third wave of the pandemic.
Special Chief Secretary Rajat Bhargav, Tourism, Culture and Department of Archaeology, AP Tourism Development Corporation CEO S. Satyanarayana and others were present.
