Khattar takes stock of preparations for Khelo India Youth Games

Chandigarh, Dec 4 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said all preparations will be complete by December 31 for the successful conduct of the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games in Panchkula, scheduled to be held from February 5 to 14.

Twenty-five different types of sports events including five traditional ones will be organised during the games, in which about 10,000 players from across the country will participate.

The opening ceremony will be held on February 5 at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Sector-3, Panchkula, Khattar said after inspecting the arrangements being done there.

Gatka of Punjab, Thang-Ta of Manipur, Kalaripayattu of Kerala, Malkhamb of Maharashtra, and Yogasan, are five traditional games included this season.

An amount of Rs 250 crore will be spent on the development of necessary infrastructure for these games, of which Rs 150 crore will be spent on infrastructure development and Rs 100 crore on other equipment and facilities, Khattar said.

Besides Panchkula, games will be held in Ambala, Shahabad, Chandigarh and Delhi, he said.

Khattar said that during games compliance of COVID-19 protocols will be ensured.

Haryana is continuously progressing in sports and the state government is increasing the budget of sports every year, he said.

He said the sports budget which was Rs 151 crore in the year 2014-15, has been increased to Rs 394 crore for 2021-22, and added 500 sports nurseries, which were shut due to COVID-19 have been reopened.

The nurseries were started with an aim to nurture sports talent from childhood under Haryana’s 'Catch them Young' initiative.

In addition to these existing ones, 500 more sports nurseries will be developed, Khattar said.

The Chief Minister said sports stadiums are being renovated at the village level and where their number is less, they will be built.

Khattar said the players have appreciated the government’s initiative to give them Rs 500,000 in advance for preparation of Olympic games.

Haryana is the only state known for giving the highest amount to the Olympic winners as cash reward, he claimed.

Impressed with Haryana’s performance in sports, other states are also studying the sports policy of Haryana, he also claimed.

Khattar said a 'scientific training and rehabilitation centre' is being set up in Panchkula to train players mentally and physically for sports.

These centres will also be set up in Karnal, Hisar, Rohtak and Gurugram, he added. PTI SUN VN VN