- Opportunities for athletes to increase; Sports Department focuses on better communication and coordination with sports associations
- Director of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department holds meeting with departmental officials and sports associations
The Sports and Youth Welfare Department is emphasizing better communication and coordination with sports associations to create maximum opportunities and platforms for sports and athletes in the state. The department and the associations are formulating an action plan to expand sports activities to the district level, as well as to identify and nurture sporting talent. Ms. Akanksha Shiksha Khalkho, Director of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department, held a meeting today with office-bearers of the state’s sports associations, issuing directives to accelerate activities and strengthen mutual coordination.
Office-bearers from over 25 major state sports associations participated in the meeting held at the Sports and Youth Welfare Department’s directorate in the capital, Raipur. Joint Director Mr. Prabhakar Pandey, Deputy Director (Finance) Mr. Ravi Agrawal, Assistant Director Mr. Rustam Sarang, and Sports Officer Mr. Girish Shukla were also present.
Director Ms. Akanksha Shiksha Khalkho instructed all sports associations to mandatorily submit their annual sports calendars to the Sports Directorate. She stated that having advance information about sports activities would enable the department and the associations to jointly make better preparations for competitions, training, and the necessary facilities for athletes. She also placed special emphasis on expediting the process of phased registration and departmental recognition for district-level sports associations across all 33 districts of the state.
The meeting also included discussions on strategies to expand sports activities to the Bastar and Sarguja divisions, as well as to remote scheduled areas. Ms. Khalkho emphasized that opportunities for sporting talent should not be limited to major cities; instead, talent emerging from districts and remote areas must also receive adequate platforms for competitions, training, and advancement. Active participation by sports associations at the district level is crucial for achieving this. The sports administrator issued instructions to promptly provide any outstanding information regarding international-level athletes currently ranked among the top 100. He emphasized the need for transparency and efficiency in administrative processes and directed that athlete-related data be maintained in an organized manner.
To institutionalize regular communication between sports associations and the department, the formation of a joint review committee was announced during the meeting. This committee will regularly review the progress of sports activities, issues concerning athletes, and the requirements of the associations. Additionally, it was decided to hold coordination meetings with the Office of the Registrar of Firms and Societies regarding matters related to the registration of sports organizations.
A consensus was also reached to organize seminars on doping to raise awareness among athletes about the adverse effects of doping and the nature of banned substances. The Department of Sports and Youth Welfare expressed its expectation that sports associations would play an active role in making sports activities in the state more extensive and effective while maintaining continuous coordination with the department. The state government aims to develop a robust sports ecosystem by combining the expertise of sports associations with departmental resources—one that provides athletes at all levels with ample opportunities for competition, training, and advancement to showcase their talent. To achieve this, the Sports Department is prioritizing regular dialogue and joint reviews with associations, as well as the establishment of a strong network extending to the district level.