Odisha govt to develop playgrounds in all gram panchayats

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 22:

The Odisha government has decided to develop playgrounds in all 6236 gram panchayats in the state. It would spend Rs 5 lakh for development of each playground.

Reviewing the performance of the Sports and Youth Services department at the State Secretariat here today, chief minister Naveen Patnaik directed the department to take up the work in coordination with the Panchayati Raj department and complete it by 2017.

He also asked the department to give priority to the development of playground in the tribal dominated districts.

The chief minister directed the department to raise the financial assistance to several youth clubs and organisations and provide the revised aid in time.

He praised the scheme of the department for timely appointment of successful sportspersons in Group “B” and Group “C” posts of Odisha Police. Under the Scheme, 31 meritorious sportsperson were directly appointed to the Odisha Police in the first phase on April 30 this year.

The meeting decided on construction of swimming pool complexes in each district by the IDCO at an estimated cost of Rs 3,50,36,500 for each complex.

Approval has been accorded for construction of swimming pool at district headquarters of Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Ganjam (Brahmapur), Subarnapur in the first phase. Besides, approval has also been accorded for renovation of existing Jhasaketan Sahu Swimming Pool Complex at Sambalpur which is underway.

It was also revealed that the construction of a mini stadium in each block of the state is underway. While construction of 65 mini stadiums has been approved, a target has been set for construction of another 50 mini stadiums this year.

The cost of each mini stadium is Rs 25 lakh of which Rs 20 lakh is borne by the state government while the rest is sourced from the MPLAD fund and MLALAD fund.

The meeting decided to include Rugby as an approved sports discipline in the state.

The meeting was apprised of the launch of Active Citizenship Programme in the state with investment of Rs 4 crore per annum.

Under the programme, DVDs prepared by the Sports and Youth Services department on the behavioural change of the students shown in all colleges. The programme also focuses on respect to women, ill effects of consumption of narcotics and other intoxicants, compassion to physically challenged, patriotism and good citizenship.

So far, the DVDs have been displayed to about three lakh students of 1000 colleges.

Besides, the department has included 5000 youths in the adventure programme during 2014-15.

Among others, Sports and Youth Services minister Sudam Marandi, secretary Saswat Mishra, Development Commissioner UN Behera, additional chief secretary to chief minister AP Padhi, principal secretary, Panchayati Raj Deoranjan Kumar Singh and senior officials of the concerned department s were present at the meeting.