The District Task Force on Sports headed by District Development Commissioner, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, today rolled out the annual plan for ‘Youth Sports Leadership Network’ programme for the focused development of sports infrastructure and training at the village level.SSP Sheikh Zulfkar Azad, CPO Abdul Majid Karnai, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Assistant Commissioner Development, Chief Education Officer, Principal GDC Bandipora and Sumbal, District Panchayat Officer, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, representatives of CAPF and heads of various departments attended the meeting.The district administration has initiated the programme under which each village will be covered by providing at least one playfield/sports ground, training and sports material and equipment. Besides exposure visits, sports competitions, internship programmes and fitness camps shall also be held. This will be in addition to annual departmental programmes and civic action plan.Education and Youth Services & Sports departments will act as nodal agencies for sports activities and registration of youth at the village level.An amount of Rs 10 lakh per block has been sanctioned for 5 blocks to develop play fields and provide sports material.
Meanwhile, Education Department will be providing sports equipment worth Rs 22.70 lakh and refreshment worth Rs 8.50 lakh for various sports events.Department will also invest an amount of Rs 50 lakh for development of 5 mini-stadiums at Bandipora, Quilmuqam, Hajin, Sumbal and Gurez.Meanwhile, 60 playfields and stadiums will be constructed through Rural Development Department under convergence at an estimated cost of Rs 2.20 crore. YSS will engage more than 16,000 players in 19 different activities for the sports events.Sports clubs will be registered at village level under the Youth Sports Leadership Network for providing basic necessities for games as required by the budding players. More than 30,000 players will be benefitted under the concerned and convergent efforts of various departments under the umbrella of district task force.The DDC also reviewed the status of DPR formulation for Indoor sports stadium and youth hostel for sportsmen at Bandipora. A Sports Bank will also be established by the district administration in collaboration with various organizations for providing requisite facilities to budding players and in schools.