Minister for Youth Services & Sports, IT and Technical Education Molvi Imran Raza Ansari Monday evening inaugurated 14th All India Police Water Sports Championship-2015 here at world famous Dal Lake.As many as 15 different Central and State teams of Police organizations are participating in the 5-day championship, being organized by J&K police under the aegis of All India Police Sports Control Board.The Deputy Chairman Legislative Council Mr. Jahangir Mir, Deputy Speaker Legislative Assembly, Mr. Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, MLA, Mr. Farooq Ahmed Andrabi, MLC, Mr. Surrender Ambardar were the Guest of honor on the occasion.Director General of Police J&K, Mr. K. Rajendra Kumar who is also the Chairman of the event and Additional General Police, Mr. Dilbagh Singh, who is also organizing Secretary of the event, ADsGP Mr. S. K. Mishra and Naveen Aggarwal, IGsP, Mr. H.K Lohia, Mr. Alok Puri, Mr. A.K Choudhary, SJM Geelani and senior officers of Army, police and Civil Administration attended the event besides Rtd. Police officers, members of civil society, representatives of water Sports bodies and students of various educational institutions.
Speaking on the occasion, the Sports Minister said that J&K has immense scope for developing Water sports as Water resources are available in abundance here. He said efforts are under way to promote all sports activities including Water sports in a big way in the state, adding that Central Government had already agreed in principle to provide proper funding for development of sports activities in the length and breadth of the state. He said Union Ministry for Sports has agreed to establish State of Art Sports Centre at Pahalgam for which DPRs has been sent for approval.Mr. Ansari said that Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has a dream to restore the pristine glory of sports and is interested to develop all types of sports activities in the State.
The Minister said that the State Sports Ministry has approved Rs. 18 Lakh for development of Sports infrastructure which was destroyed in the floods of last year. Expressing his gratitude to the organizing agency for its endeavour to organize National level event here, the Minister said that J&K Police has always been on the forefront to promote sports and athletic activities in the State. He said such events should also be held in other parts of the State as there are a number of lake, rivers and other water resources including famous Wullar Lake. He welcomed the participant water sports persons who have come here from across the country to compete in the event and hoped that the best team wins. Director General Police Mr. K. Rajendra welcomed the Minister and other dignitaries. Earlier Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Mr. Dilbagh Singh who is also organizing secretary of the event in his welcome address said that the championship is regularly hosted by different police organizations of the country under the aegis of All India Police Sports Control Board. He said JKP is hosting the prestigious Championship third time in which 15 teams of different central and State Police organizations from across the country are participating.450 athletes from SSB, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, J&K, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh Police are proving their mettle in Canoeing, Kayaking and Rowing, he added.