Lucknow, March 21 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday that his administration has provided government jobs to over 500 sportsmen, including some who hold the rank of deputy superintendent of police.
Within the state, you may have noticed that our athletes have won medals and represented the country, but they have often lacked the encouragement they deserve from both society and the government, he said.
"We recognized that if they are playing for the country, we should offer them some form of guarantee. At the very least, we could provide these athletes with opportunities in government service," Adityanath added.
"We amended our policy, and today I am pleased to share that we have successfully employed over 500 sportspersons in the state, including those appointed to the rank of deputy superintendent of police," he added.
The chief minister was speaking at an event organized by a leading English daily in Lucknow on Saturday.
He further mentioned that some of the sportspersons who have received government employment are also serving as tehsildars, additional directors of sports, and in other departments.
Deepti Sharma, the player of the tournament in the women's ODI World Cup, who has also joined the Uttar Pradesh Police as a DSP under the sports quota, was felicitated at the state Police Headquarters in Gomtinagar Extension in November last year.
Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna honoured Sharma in the presence of senior officials, praising her accomplishments on the international stage.
"Deepti Sharma has not only made the country proud but has also brought glory to Uttar Pradesh and the state police force. Her achievements inspire pride across the police fraternity," the DGP had said in his address.
"Over the past 11-12 years, amidst the transformation of India, we have all witnessed the birth of a new sports culture. Through initiatives such as 'Khelo India', followed by the 'Fit India Movement', and numerous other campaigns subsequently launched across the nation, the prime minister (Narendra Modi) has laid the groundwork for a comprehensive sports policy. Inspired by the PM's vision, the UP government embarked on the task of furthering these campaigns within the state, starting in 2017," Adityanath said.
He added that the BCCI is currently constructing an international-standard stadium in Varanasi.
Construction work for another international stadium is underway in Gorakhpur, and one already exists in Lucknow. Similarly, there is a stadium in Kanpur. We are now planning to develop a similar stadium in Ghaziabad, the CM said.
"We had previously allotted the land for this project to the BCCI. However, they were unable to proceed with the construction on that site. Consequently, I have requested the BCCI to return the land to the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
"In exchange, we will provide them with financial compensation or allot them land at an alternative location. We intend to undertake the construction of the stadium ourselves, thereby facilitating the further promotion of sports and athletic activities within the region," Adityanath said.
He added that in this year's budget, we have made a specific provision. Given that Uttar Pradesh comprises 18 divisional headquarters, every division must have a dedicated sports college, and each of these sports colleges must mandatorily feature a 'Centre of Excellence' dedicated to a specific sport.
These Centres of Excellence will serve as platforms designed to groom and nurture athletes, enabling us to produce world-class players capable of competing at the international level, he said.