Centre raised sports ministry budget by three times since 2014: PM Modi
1 min read 16 Feb 2023, 05:28 PM ISTPM Modi stressed on the importance of sports competitions at local level to promote talent and said that such competitions not only boost talent but also the morale of players of the entire region
PremiumNew Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid stress on developing sporting talents at grassroots level and said the Centre has increased the budget of the sports ministry by three times since 2014. The prime minister was addressing the ‘’Sansad Khel Mahakumbh‘’ event being held at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
He noted that many modern stadiums are being built in the country and highlighted TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) where assistance worth lakhs of rupees is provided to players for training. He also touched upon campaigns like Khelo India, Fit India and Yoga.
Addressing the gathering, the prime minister commended the inspiring initiative of Khel Mahakumbh and highlighted that artists from the field of painting, folk songs, folk dance and tabla-flute etc. have also taken part in this competition along with sports like wrestling, kabaddi and hockey.
“Be it the talent of sports or art-music, its spirit and its energy are all the same," he added. PM Modi also emphasised the moral responsibility of taking forward Indian traditions and folk art forms.
This is the third programme in the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh that the prime minister attended in the last few weeks. He reiterated the idea to create new ways and systems if India has to become a sporting power in the world.
PM Modi stressed on the importance of sports competitions at local level to promote talent and said that such competitions not only boost talent but also the morale of players of the entire region. “The Sansad Khel Mahakumbh is such a new route, a new system,“ he said.
The prime minister noted that 20,000 athletes had taken part in the first edition of Gorakhpur Khel Mahakumbh and that number has gone up to 24,000 where 9,000 athletes are women.
Underlining that thousands of youth participating in the Khel Mahakumbh hail from small towns or villages, he said that Saansad Khel Mahakumbh has become a new platform that provides opportunities to young players.
Drawing an analogy to talent hunt programmes on TV, the prime minister said that India has a lot of hidden talent and the Saansad Khel Mahakumbh has a huge role to play in highlighting the country’s potential in the world of sports.
PM Modi informed that hundreds of Members of Parliament are organizing such sporting events in the country where a large number of young players are getting a chance to progress. He underlined that many players will go on to play at the state and national level and also win medals for the country in international events like the Olympics.
“The Saansad Khel Mahakumbh lays the robust foundation of a grand infrastructure of the future of sports,“ he remarked.
Concluding the address, the prime minister said, “Today, from the Olympics to other big tournaments, only young players like you will take forward that legacy of winning medals." He expressed confidence that the youth will continue to shine brightly and bring laurels to the country with the glow of their successes.
