Chandigarh, May 7 - The fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games - 2021 was launched in a grand ceremony on Saturday at Indradhanush Auditorium, Panchkula. The Mascot, Logo, Jersey, and Theme Song of Khelo India Youth Games were also launched during this event.
The Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal attended the launching ceremony as the Chief Guest. Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur attended as a special guest.
Deputy Chief Minister, Sh. Dushyant Chautala, Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Sh. Gian Chand Gupta, MP, Sh. Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, S. Sandeep Singh, Chief Secretary, Sh. Sanjeev Kaushal and many dignitaries from the Central and State Governments also attended the scintillating ceremony.
Haryana is ready to give a grand welcome to the athletes
Sh. Manohar Lal said that this grand event was a much-awaited event for Haryana as due to COVID-19 Pandemic, the programme dates got postponed thrice. But now finally the countdown for this has started today and from June 4 to 13 various sports events would be organized.
“This grand event is being organized with the combined efforts of both the State and the Central Government. Players from every province of the country will participate in this mega event. Haryana is ready to give a warm welcome to the athletes and the necessary arrangements have been made for the same,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.
The Chief Minister informed that Hockey Astroturf, Volleyball Indoor Hall, and Basketball Indoor Hall have been constructed at Tau Devilal Sports Complex, Panchkula costing crores for successfully organizing these games. Besides this, synthetic athletics track, badminton hall etc. have been renovated. An international standard indoor swimming pool has also been constructed in Ambala, said Sh. Manohar Lal.
Sports is an integral part of state’s culture
The Chief Minister said that Sports is an integral part of state’s culture as Haryana’s soil has a special connection with the farmers and the budding sports talent. Along with making a mark in the food bowl of India, the state players, especially daughters by constantly winning gold medals are making the state and the country proud at National and International Levels.
Sports competitions are held on special occasions so as to reflect the inclination of the people in sports. Due to this sports culture, there is no dearth of sports talent in Haryana, said Sh. Manohar Lal.
He further said that geographically, Haryana may be a small province, but there is no lack of sports talent provided they get the required infrastructure and other facilities. While understanding the same concrete steps have been taken by the present State Government to provide required facilities and incentives to the players, which has initiated a new sports culture in Haryana.
Haryanvis marching ahead in defence forces, Chief Minister
Sh. Manohar Lal said that playing sports not only strengthens mental and physical development of any individual but also boosts their morale and helps in inculcating fighting spirit.
“Haryana has a major percentage of youth in the armed forces. Around 10 percent of the state’s population is representing Haryana in the armed forces and it would not be wrong to say that sports are the reason behind this because it helps inculcate fighting spirit. Sports makes a person mentally alert and ethically sound,” said the Chief Minister.
Sports lovers also have an important role in Khelo India Youth Games-2021
Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, for giving Haryana this golden opportunity of organizing the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games-2021, the Chief Minister said that three such programmes have been held earlier also, but he assured that State’s Sports Department will leave no stone unturned in making this event a grand success. Adequate arrangements have been made for the same. All the departments are working together for this. Sports lovers are also going to play a big role in making this event a huge success, said Sh. Manohar Lal.
The Chief Minister assured Sh. Anurag Thakur that adequate arrangements have been made for the players. He also urged the spectators to reach in maximum numbers so as to boost the morale of the players.
Recruitment of 1000 yoga teachers started
The Chief Minister said that 500 nurseries that were running before COVID-19 will be started again. The sports department is working to increase the number of nurseries as well. Sports Grounds, Parks, and Vayamshalas are being built on Panchayat land in every village. For this 1000 villages have been identified. The work of setting up 550 Parks and Vayamshalas has been completed.
“A plan to impart Yoga training has been chalked out and for this, around 1000 yoga teachers have already been selected. Mapping has been done at the Village, Block, and District Level, and required infrastructure is being arranged, where ever it is required,” said the Chief Minister.
Haryana giving the highest cash prize money to medal-winning players
The Chief Minister said that Haryana is the first state in the country, which gives maximum cash prize money to medal-winning sportspersons.
“We have made a provision of giving cash reward of Rs 6 crore to the gold medalist, Rs 4 crore to the silver medalist, and Rs 2.5 crore to the bronze medalist in Olympic Games. Not only this, we are ahead of many countries of the world in terms of giving the highest reward money to the medal winners,” shared Sh. Manohar Lal.
He said that be it Asian Games, Commonwealth, or Olympics, Haryana’s contribution always remains pivotal in these sports tournaments. Haryana would always ensure that players of the State keep bringing laurels for the State and the Country at both the National and International levels.
Players getting government jobs under Sports Quota
Sh. Manohar Lal informed that Haryana is the first state in the country, which has made a provision to give an advance amount of Rs. 5 lakh for the game preparations to the players so that they do not face any difficulty in their preparations. With this, a new policy for the mountaineers who climb the world's 10 highest mountain peaks has also been implemented under which Rs. 5 lakh and a Grade-C certificate in the sports category are given to help them in getting government jobs in Sports Quota.
Government working on the Policy to nurture budding sports talent
The Chief Minister further informed that the State Government is working on the Policy to nurture budding sports talent since childhood. The diet money of players participating in state-level sports competitions, sports academies, and training camps has been increased from Rs 250 to Rs 400 per day.
Furthermore, in order to develop sports culture among children, 1100 sports nurseries are being opened in the state. This will benefit about 25,000 budding players of the state. A scholarship of Rs 1500 per month will be given to the players in the age group of 8 to 14 years taking training in these nurseries and Rs 2000 per month to the players between the age group of 15 to 19 years, informed Sh. Manohar Lal.
Five Centres of Excellence for Sports would be opened in Haryana to provide world-class training and facilities to the players. In these Centres, free coaching will be provided to the talented players to make Haryana a sports hub, said the Chief Minister.
The honorarium of Rs 5,000 per month is given to Bhim Awardees
The Chief Minister said that the government has implemented Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons (Recruitment and Conditions of Service Rules 2018) to ensure employment for outstanding sportspersons. Besides this, 550 new posts have been created in the sports department and 156 players have been given government jobs.
A provision for reservation has been made for sportspersons in direct recruitment in Class I to IV posts. The monthly honorarium being given to the Arjuna, Dronacharya, and Dhyan Chand Awardees has been increased from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 20,000. Besides this, an amount of Rs. 20,000 and Rs.5000 is being given to the Tenzing Norgay Adventure and Bhim Awardees respectively.
Earlier speaking on this occasion, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur while thanking the Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that just like the state’s Khelo India Mascot ‘Dhakad’ today's launch programme is also ‘Dhakad’.
“Be it organizing any sports event, nurturing the budding sports talent at the grass root level, or winning the maximum number of medals, Haryana has always remained number one in the country,” said Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur.
He said that till now three editions of the Khelo India Youth Games have been organized and this fourth edition is being organized in Haryana. In the history of these games, the biggest contingent of athletes is coming to participate in this grand event which is being organized in Haryana, which is a matter of pride, said Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur.
“Haryana may be a small state from the geographical point, but out of the total contingent of the players which represented India in the Olympics, about 30 athletes i.e. 25 percent were from Haryana. Haryana has set a milestone in winning maximum medals. I am confident that Haryana would host this historic event in a successful manner,” Sh. Anurag Singh Thakur.
The 'Khelo India Youth Games-2021', is being jointly organized by the State Government and Sports Authority of India (SAI), Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports from June 4 to June 13, 2022. As many as 25 sports events will be organized in this grand event, including five traditional games like Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta, Malkhamb and Yogasana. These sports events will be organized at five venues namely Panchkula, Ambala, Shahabad, Chandigarh and Delhi. Over 8,000 athletes will participate in this grand event. Besides this, lakhs of spectators will witness this spectacular sports festival.