Srinagar, Jan 05: Despite Covid-19, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has seen an increase in sports infrastructural development, enhancement of sports culture and advancement of sports aptitude.
The hosting of Second Edition of Khelo India Winter Games is considered to be not less than a milestone for the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council which was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on February 26, 2021.
The annual event was organized by the J&K Sports Council and the Winter Games Association of J&K with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
The then Union Sports Minister announced various plans to further enhance the sports ecosystem in J&K including creating a state-of-the-art winter sports academy.
In a series of developments, Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council according to a government document is witnessing a golden era of sports infrastructure in the UT. It mentions that under the PMDP scheme which consists of 31 projects out of which 25 are completed the remaining are likely to be completed by March, 2022.
Under the Khelo India Projects, synthetic hockey turf at KK Hakku Stadium, Jammu and Polo ground in Srinagar has been approved, while the Synthetic Athletic track at Bandipora and Indoor sport hall at Shalinar Budgam is in progress.
Among the achievements, the government in its document says that around 17 lakh youth have participated in diverse sports activities while 1.26 lakh youth received coaching in various sports disciplines.
Similarly, with regard to infrastructural development, the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council in the UT has so far established Indoor sports complex in every district, playfields in every panchayat, floodlighting, synthetic turfing in Stadia and International level facilities in Jammu & Srinagar.
The Council according to the government document has established more training facilities to KISCE in Srinagar and has established a ‘Centre of excellence’ of water sports (Kayaking, Canoeing and Rowing) under Khelo India established at Nehru Park, Srinagar.
JK Sports Council since the onset of Covid-19 in the UT has planned 19 National level events to be hosted in 2021-22. While under the ‘Azadi ka Mahotsav’ - More than 5 lakh Youth participated in various programmes and events, reads the document.
Under Khelo India Centres in UT of J&K, Small Khelo India District Level Centres @2 Disciplines Per District while Khelo India State Centre of Excellence in Fencing, Rowing & Kayaking & Canoeing National Centre of Excellence for Winter Sports at Gulmarg has been announced”, reads the document.
Notably, the J&K Sports Council in the year 2021 started an online training program for its registered and associated athletes during the lockdown period to keep them well prepared for the competitions commencing post-Covid-19 decline.
According to the officials, recorded training sessions in twenty disciplines were uploaded on the social media handles of the council in a phased manner in order to keep athletes and coaches intact with their respective sport.