Encouraging the love of sports, 5 new Sports National Centers to be set up for disabled youth

New Delhi, February 21: Encouraging sports at national level for disabled children, the Department of Social justice and Empowerment has planned to set up five National Sport Centers in five different regions of the country and the states have been asked to provide land for the same.

 

This move was taken to enhance the participation of disabled children in the field of sports. The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Ghelot felicitated the 17 members of Blind Cricket World Cup winning the Indian Team and also rewarded them with a cash prize of Rs. 34 Lakh in New Delhi.

The Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Ramdas Athawale, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ms. Shakuntala Gamlin and senior officers of the Ministry were among those present on the occasion. The cash award has been given under the Awareness Generation and Publicity Scheme of the Ministry.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Thawarchand Gehlot disclosed that the Ministry is setting up five National Sports Centres in the five regions of the country and the States have been asked to provide land for the same. Madhya Pradesh has already provided land in Gwalior while Punjab and Andhra Pradesh are in the process of granting land in Zirakpur and Visakhapatnam respectively.

Sports Centres for Divyangjan require special facilities due to which a detailed project report for these sports centers has been prepared after widespread consultation including those with foreign centers abroad. Under the provisions set for the children, they will be given special ID cards so as to enable them to avail the facilities of Government policies and the availability that the 21 States have already taken up the task of giving such IDs to the Divyangjans.