Big plans to boost sports in Telangana

Hyderabad: If everything goes as planned, sports infrastructure in the State will get a major boost. Sports Authority of Telangana State chairman A. Venkateshwar Reddy, who completed one year in office, has grandiose projects on mind and paper and is pushing to get the clearance from the powers that be.

Among his proposals are “setting up of academies in each district, recruitment of 150 coaches for the same; getting big ticket tournaments to the State; pushing for a Sports Authority of India Regional Centre; regularisation of coaches who are working on temporary basis; a Sports School at Jadcherla to cater to the southern districts,” Mr Reddy told a press conference on Thursday.

Plans are also afoot to “establish a Sports University; laying of synthetic athletic tracks in four universities starting with Osmania in Hyderabad and one each in Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar and Warangal apart from relaying of the track at Gachibowli Stadium; and modernising the Lal Bahadur Stadium.”

Speaking of the positives, Mr Reddy said: “Two per cent reservation for sportspersons in government jobs, a file that is to be signed soon, will provide a major boost to players.” He continued to bat for sportspersons. “Recently, the Union government decided to dole out Rs 50,000 per month as stipend to 152 sportspersons. There are a couple of Telangana on that list but I have submitted a written request to Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore to include 15 more from the State. Should that not fructify, at least the State should provide them with Rs 10,000 per month,” Mr Reddy said.

He stressed on development of rural sport too. “In the last one year, sportspersons have benefitted but rural talent still needs to be tapped. For that, funds need to be pumped into rural areas. I hope the authorities will consider this favourably,” he said.

“I have toured 10 to 12 states and studied their systems. Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are on top but Telangana is not too far behind. I want to see our State at the No.1 position,” Mr Reddy explained. Mr Reddy also spoke of promoting wrestling in a big way. “We plan to identify about 100 wrestlers, nourish them with proper diet and stipend to polish their standards,” he said.