Promotion of sports in rural areas priority of govt: Bihar minister Alok Ranjan

PATNA: State minister for art, culture and youth affairs Alok Ranjan on Saturday said of the total sanctioned 353 stadiums for promotion and exposure of rural youths in the field of sports and games, 182 are ready and 88 are under construction at block level.
The minister was addressing the two-day All India Conference of Sports Ministers that began on Friday at Kevadia in Gujarat.Union minister of sports and youth affairs Anurag Singh Thakur was also present in the conference.
Ranjan said the state was out to promote games and sports among youths, and several stadiums are being constructed under the chief minister sports development scheme at block level. “If funds marked for promotion of games and sports are directly made available to panchayats, it will prove helpful in providing exposure to rural talents in these fields and pave way to prove their talents at national and international level competitions,” he said, and further advised for coordination between the departments for inculcating sportsman spirit in children from school level.
Ranjan urged the center for further strengthening the Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs) in the state. He also appreciated the central government for its role in inculcating discipline in youths through its various schemes like NYKs, NCC, NSS and other skill development programmes. Director of the state's department of art, culture and youth affairs, Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, was also present in the conference.