Dehradun, Dec 19 (PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said preparation of infrastructural facilities for the 38th National Games to be held in the state next year has started and a National Sports Secretariat has been formed for the purpose.

The National Games can be managed better through the Sports Secretariat, Dhami said in his address at the inauguration of the state kevel Sports Mahakumbh at Maharana Pratap Sports College in Dehradun.

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Players who secure first, second and third positions in the Sports Mahakumbh will be provided sports kits, the chief minister announced.

He directed the officials of the sports department to make all preparations for the upcoming National Games at a fast pace and to look for good players in the state and make arrangements for better training for them.

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The objective of the Sports Mahakumbh is to prepare players for major sporting events at the national and international level, he said.

Dhami expressed hope that the young players participating in this Sports Mahakumbh will bring glory to not only Uttarakhand, but also to the country at the international level in the future.

The chief minister said sports has been promoted in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi like never before.

India won a record 107 medals in the recently concluded Asian Games in China and it is also keen to host the 2030 Youth Olympics and 2036 Olympic Games, Dhami said.

Facilities are being created for young players from villages and cities. Citing the example of Haridwar, he said badminton and basketball courts, besides open gym, are being built using the vacant spaces under flyovers.

He said that the state government is also trying to restart sports quota in jobs for young players, while a provision is also being made to give direct government jobs to players who win medals at national and international levels.

Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Rekha Arya said in the new sports policy implemented in the state, efforts have been made to provide every possible facility to the players.

About 4,000 players in the age group of eight to 14 years are being given Mukhyamantri Udiyaman Khiladi Unnayan Sports Scholarship in the state, while 2,600 players in the age group of 14 to 23 years are getting the benefits of the Mukhyamantri Udiyaman Khiladi Protsahan Yojana in the state.

He said a Sports Development Fund is being created for children from economically weaker sections while a Girls Sports College is being built at Lohaghat in the Champawat district.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)