200% increase in number of playfields
SRINAGAR, JAN 12: Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a significant boost in sports infrastructure, witnessing a two hundred percent increase in the number of play fields over the past five years.
Before 2018, Jammu and Kashmir faced challenges in player performance due to inadequate sports infrastructure, with fewer than 100 play fields. However, in the last five years, the number of play fields has surged to over 300, signifying a remarkable 200 percent increase in available grounds.
Similarly, there were 25 Khelo India Centres in J&K in 2016 and the number has reached 130.
J&K has produced some of the sports persons, who represent the national team in cricket, football, water sports, and chess. “While compared to other Indian states and UTs, the number is less in J&K. This is because we did not have the required infrastructure available here. Sports had been the least concern for successive governments. However, over the last five years it has received a major push in building necessary sports infrastructure,” the official added.
On February 3, 2022, the J&K government also announced a new sports policy aimed at enabling Kashmiri youth to excel in sporting activities and scale new heights. This policy was introduced at a time when the millennial youth of the region started experiencing the return of normalcy in J&K and were seeking constructive avenues to showcase their abilities.
Similarly, the government has amended the Jammu and Kashmir Appointment of Outstanding Sports Persons Rules, 2022 providing for their recruitment against gazetted posts and non-gazetted posts, to be carved out separately in the Youth Services and Sports Department. The amended rules provide that the Youth Services & Sports Department, subject to availability of posts, on the recommendation of a 6-member Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, may appoint outstanding sports persons against these posts, subject to certain conditions.
