PCC chief wrote a letter for development of sports in AN Islands ....................................................................................................... Press release On the issue of Development of sports and games in Andaman & Nicobar Islands the PCC President Kuldeep Rai Sharma, while appreciating the efforts of the Lt Governor for initiating several initiatives, has written a letter wherein he has stated that through interaction with the people from the field of sports & games, he has gathered certain proposals which if considered may help in not only improving the sports & games in the Island but also larger and meaningful participation of the people in this field. Kuldeep has further stated that the sports Authority of India (SAI) has established Special Area Games (SAG) Center at Port Blair during February 1988 and subsequently an extension center at Car Nicobar. Both centers are residential center where the trainees are provided with boarding and loading facilities during their tenure of coaching. Sports and games such as kayaking, canoeing, rowing, cycling, football and weightlifting are the identified discipline in which the raw boys & girls possessing desired physical parameter and ability are inducted in the SAI center as trainees through talent hunt. After undergoing specialized and scientific coaching, the boys & girls trainees of the SAI center has brought laurels for the Islands by winning medals in international and national level tournaments and championships in various discipline such as cycling, Kayaking, canoeing & rowing. The center has also produced foot ball players who have played in the national football team representing India in international Tournaments. However, over the years and particularly since 2008, the SAI center at Port Blair and Car Nicobar has witnessed sharp decline mainly due to non availability of Coaches in several disciplines. Non posting of administrative officer viz. Deputy/Asst. Director by SAI has further aggravated the situation as the link between the SAI authorities in mainland has been lost. It is an irony that the SAI centre, Port Blair which has produced cyclist of International and National acclaim such as Ms. Deborah and Ms. Martha are presently not having a cycling coach. The withdrawal of the cycling coach since October 2013 by SAI has witnessed a sharp downfall in number of trainees and their strength from 20 (twenty) has reduced to mere 3 to 4. It will not out of proposition to mention that the Islanders are fortunate as two coaches in the water sports belong to these Islands otherwise same would have been the fate of trainers of these sporting events. Same is the fate for the game of football. The football coach has been withdrawn from the SAI Center since June 2012 and no replacement has yet been made by the SAI. However, for the present the extension residential SAI center at Carnicobar is being managed by the State Sports Council by engaging a Coach on monthly remuneration. Accordingly, Kuldeep has requested the Administrator to consider to take up the matter with Sports Ministry or SAI authorities of appropriate level so that proper coach in Cycling is posted in the SAI,SAG Center at Port Blair and football coach for the extension center at Carnicobar. He has further submitted that as Nicobaries are naturally gifted player in the game of football, likewise the people belonging to Ranchi community residing in these Islands are naturally gifted player in the game of hockey. In fact the people belonging to this community has kept the game of hockey alive in these Islands which otherwise is at the verge of extension and proposed that Hockey may also be got introduced at a discipline in the SAG Center of SAI at Port Blair. On the issue of Development of sport infrastructure in the Islands - Increasing the budgetary allocation Kuldeep has submitted that Port Blair being the capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands has certain infrastructure for sports & games such as football, cricket, badminton, swimming, cycling etc. and Car Nicobar too with the initiative of Directorate of Youth Affairs & Sports has got such facilities built out the Prime Minister Relief Fund but other Islands are void of basic sports & games infrastructure. As a step towards development of such facilities in other part of the Islands, Kuldeep has appreciated that the Lt Governor has very recently laid foundation stone for construction of Multipurpose Indoor Stadium at Kanyapuram, Wimberlygunj. In Andaman & Nicobar where for most part of year it rains such Indoor sports facilities will be of much use to the Islanders. Further, from the information gathered from local media, it transpire that an elaborate plan has been worked out for development of games and sports in these Islands, but for actual implementation of such plans when we look towards the Budgetary allocation under the plan scheme of Directorate of Youth Affairs & Sports , it reveals that in B.E. proposal of Annual Plan of 2014-15 a meager amount of Rs 1.80 Crores has only been allocated under the capital head for maintenance of the existing sports infrastructure and for creation of new infrastructures in the entire Union Territory. This allocation of Rs. 1.80 Crores can just provide token provision for various plan scheme works, hence most of these projects / works will actually not even get commenced on ground for want of financial sanction due less budgetary allocation and hence a request has been submitted by the PCC chief to suitably enhance the capital outlay for development / creation of sports and games infrastructure in the Islands in commensuration to the need of the Islanders in other field. On the issue of appointment of coaches for imparting scientific & specialize training to the players and for effective utilization of the sports infrastructure the PCC Chief has submitted that in present days any sports need high degree of skills and technique beside specific physical ability which can be acquired only through proper coaching and that too in young age. At present under the entire Directorate of Youth Affairs & Sports, there are only two posts of coaches and both posts belong to swimming discipline. For other games too such as badminton, basketball, cycling, etc. for which infrastructure exists in Port Blair and younger generation are showing larger interest in participation, regular posts of coaches need to be created. Considering the need, the State Sports Council as an interim measure has engaged coaches on contract basis for cycling and badminton; however such adhoc approach may not fetch good result in long run due to uncertainly of such appointments. Kuldeep has further submitted that to exploit the natural talents and sporting calibre of the youths in sports and games, in southern group of Islands particularly of Nicobar District, a Modern Sports Complex at Lapathy, Car Nicobar has been constructed with the initiative of the Directorate of Youth Affairs & Sports out of the fund which was sanctioned from the Prime Minister Relief Fund during the year 2007. As this sport complex consist of football ground, synthetic 400 meters track for athletics , two sports hostels for boys and girls, stadium with gallery having a capacity to accommodate 5000 spectators besides facilities for other indoor games , and suggested that for effective and efficient utilisation of the facilities created and to attain the objective envisaged necessary action need to be initiated to appoint proper qualified coaches in the field of athletics, football and for all such games for which the facilities exists in Sports Complex, On the issue of Recruitment of meritorious Sports person under Sports quota in Government jobs Kuldeep has also submitted that the Government of India vides DoPT O.M.No. 14015/1/76 - Estt.(D), dated 4th August 1980 has introduced a scheme titled as Appointment of Meritorious Sports person to Group C & D posts in relaxation of the procedure as per which 5% of posts are to be reserved for eligible meritorious sports person fulfilling the educational qualification as prescribed for the post. It is nice to learn that, the A&N Administration in respect of the vacancy of Lower Grade Clerks has reserved 14 posts to be filled by the meritorious sports persons. It is requested that such initiative may be taken by all departments of A&N Administration.However, while making such appointment under the quota fixed for meritorious sports persons and in order to facilitate proper selection of sports person, the order of preferences as promulgated by the DoPT, GOI vide O.M.No. 14034/1/95- Estt(D), dated 4th May 1995 may kindly be scrupulously followed. Hence, it was suggested by the PCC chief that the selection of the meritorious sports persons possessing requisite educational qualification prescribed for the post may please be done on the basis of their excellence and achievements made in the field of sports rather than by conduct of written examination . In case of non - availability of eligible medal winner meritorious sports persons, the selection under the sports quota may be done by conducting written selection test for all other eligible meritorious sports persons of equal repute. Advocating for Setting up of Sports School Kuldeep has submitted that to encourage nurturing of sporting talent among school children, the UT Administration of A&N Islands may opt for setting up of sports schools, wherein students in the age group of 8-12 years can seek admission through the sports quota after a physical aptitude test. Once enrolled, these sports students can avail of training/coaching in key sports disciplines while pursuing academics. To be funded by the ministry of youth affairs and sports, the proposed Initial Selection of Sporting Talent (INSTAL) programme seeks to take off with a pilot project, under which one or two sports schools are planned to come up in each state/union territory. To be implemented over three years, the project will see starting of 35 sports schools in the first year, followed by 20 schools each in the following two years. The contribution expected from each sports school includes vigorous sports training of the selected students for a minimum two and a half hours per day and providing them class rooms, sports area boarding facility, adequate nutrition and medical facilities with judicious mix of academics and sports. Under the proposed scheme ,the sports ministry will extend a grant to each sports school for further development of infrastructure, besides paying Rs 1.5 lakh per annum towards each sports students school fees and boarding/lodging. The ministry will also provide sports equipment worth Rs 1 lakh per school per annum, Rs 2,500 per student per annum for sports competitions, and reimburse group insurance premium for the sports students. It will also reimburse salary/honorarium of five coaches per school at the rate of Rs 30,000 per coach per month. To end with Kuldeep has also submitted that it is only the local administration and of course with the help of government specialized body such as SAI can bring radical improvement in the field of sports and games with more and more young talent opting for sports making it as one of their carrier option. Forwarded for publishing the news to Media
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 05:56:20 +0000
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