CHENNAI: It’s well known that the sports ministry wants to promote sports aggressively. On Friday, an order passed under the central government’s new Fit India Movement makes this abundantly clear. “To promote sports and making fitness a way of life, it has been decided to make sports facilities available (for athletes and federations) across the country free of cost,” says the sports ministry order.
Under this scheme, the sports facilities of SAI and LNIPE Gwalior, as well as Guwahati, would be made available free of cost for sporting events. Beneficiaries in this new scheme could potentially include not just athletes but also leagues like the Indian Super League as well as bodies like the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
In the 11 points under ‘sports facilities of SAI..’ there is mention of “sports events organised by sports leagues and their units registered/recognised by the National Sports Federation recognised by the Central Government and “sports events organised by IOA and/or NSFs recognised by the Central Government.” Even sports clubs can avail these facilities free of cost as long as they ‘registered/recognised by the District Sports Officer’. Even athletes without a coach can use the above-mentioned facilities for free.