NEW DELHI: The Modi government’s plan to identify sport talents in rural areas has hit the Delhi government hurdle. The Union Sports Ministry wanted to start multi-sport championship from rural belts of Delhi and had planned to replicate it across the country.
However, the ministry has claimed that the AAP government in Delhi refused to give their stadiums to organise games and the plan could not take off.
Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel said that despite several requests, the Delhi government has not allowed the use of their stadiums. “Delhi government refused to provide us with stadiums. Our officials met the concerned department, but, nothing happened,” he said.
Goel added that the sports ministry just wanted Delhi government’s cooperation in organising rural sports. “This is no politics. We had planned a lot to promote rural sports. We have already received 8,000 entries from different parts of Delhi,” he added. However, a Delhi government official said the sports ministry has many stadiums under it and they can organise games there.
Not refuting the claims, Goel added, “We have many stadiums but rural sports have to be organised in the outer areas of Delhi where we don’t have any. Therefore, we had demanded stadiums from the Delhi government.”
The ministry had planned to invite wrestlers Geeta Phogat, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sushil Kumar to take part in the demonstration matches.
On the purpose of the rural sports in the country, Goel said, “An evolved sports culture will prompt rural youth to participate in popular sports. This in turn will encourage them to achieve excellence and adopt a healthy life style.”
As per the plan, Alipur, Nangloi, Najafgarh, Mehrauli and Shadara were to participate in the games beginning from March 25, but, so far nothing has happened.