Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Jan 17: The state and union governments are discriminating against Jammu region for the promotion of sports and most initiatives and funding is directed to the valley, thereby ignoring the sportspersons of Jammu.
Jammu and Kashmir has a population of over Rs 1.2 crore and there is a requirement of 2500 play fields as per the figures of JK Sports Council.
Official figures reveal that JK has only 137 playing fields available to its huge number of talented sportsmen, of which Kashmir division has 103 playing fields and Jammu division has only 34.
As per the population, 1196 play fields are required in Kashmir and 1302 in Jammu. In Jammu district, only 17 play fields are available for its population of 1529958, against the requirement of 175. Udhampur has only 2 play fields for the population of 554985, while its requirement is 200 play fields. An official of JK Youth Services and Sports said that lack of play fields has been affecting the performance of players.
However, the government seems more interested in promotion of sports in Kashmir. The government has constituted task forces in Kashmir for promoting youth engagement and sports activities to chalk out modalities and prepare a roadmap for finalising the programmes , but nothing such is being done in Jammu.
An official document of divisional commissioner Kashmir office reveals that task forces would identify the gaps with regard to sports, cultural, and infrastructure.
They have to "prepare calendar of the activities for purpose of youth engagement/ sports that could bring out a change on the ground to make them useful instruments of change and also to ensure furtherance of sports/cultural activities" the document reads.
The DLTF comprise of officials from youth services and sports, education, sports council, rural development, police, BSF, and Army.
They have been asked that they shall also keep scope for inclusion of cultural activities, career counseling, personality development, drug de-addiction programmes, advocacy campaigns against social evils.
The documents say that district development commissioner Srinagar has recommended that "special focus needs to be placed on the down town where majority of the population lives, which has been adversely affected in the present turmoil".
"Special allocation of funds be made for development of different facilities like gymnasiums, entertainment halls, career counseling centres to have a salutary effect on the downtown youth," the DC Srinagar as per documents has recommended.
Similarly, district development commissioner Gande-rbal has recommended that a "comprehensive plan" needs to be formulated for the tribal areas of the district and stone pelters need to be engaged in the sports activities, to bring in them a "positive behavioral change".
The documents pointed out non-availability of funds for building of sports infrastructure. |