The BJP Government in Haryana has decided to make yoga compulsory in all the educational institutions in the State and would be introducing Haryana Premier League to promote indigenous and village games such as gatka, bullock-cart racing and kabbadi. It would also construct about 6,500 village level stadiums or ‘vyayamshalas’ to take sports into the hinterland.
This and a slew of others measures to promote sports in the State were announced by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Sports Minister Anil Vij at a function in Rohtak where the broad contours of the ‘Haryana Physical Activities and Sports Policy-2015’ were spelt out.
It was Mr. Vij who declared that yoga will be given special emphasis as part of physical fitness for all age groups. It will be introduced in all educational institutions in the State and will be made compulsory in all schools. The schools would be required to impart yoga practice in the zero hour.
The Education Department would include yoga as a subject in the curricula of all degree and diploma level programmes of physical education and the State would organise camps and competitions at various levels for different segments and age-groups. Mr Khattar said 6,500 village-level stadiums will be constructed to make children physically fit and to spot and nurture budding sporting talent. He said traditional sports will be promoted.
He said traditional games would also be promoted and the State game of wrestling would get a big push. A Faculty of Sports Science would be introduced in every university and synthetic athletics tracks would be constructed.
This apart, several new awards for the sportspersons have been instituted in addition to the Bhim award, the highest award of the State Government given to the outstanding players of Haryana.
Special efforts will also be made to encourage women to participate in sports through higher incentives on winning tournaments at national and international level and reservation of at least 30 per cent of the available accommodation at various stadia.
