New Delhi ~ 17th October

The Government has approved the National Sports Policy and the salient features include broad basing of sports and achievements of excellence; up-gradation and development of infrastructure and support to the national sports federations and other appropriate bodies. It also includes incentives to sports persons; enhanced participation of women tribals and rural youth as well as strengthening of scientific and coaching support to sports. Moreover involvement of corporate sector in sports promotion is also part of the new national sports policy. This is a major achievement of the Department of Sports in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in the last two years.

Under the scheme of assistance to promising sports persons and supporting personnel during 2000-01 assistance in principle has been sanctioned to seven sports persons. Apart from this assistance has been provided to six sports persons coaches and other supporting personnel in 2000-01. The expenditure during 2000-01 was Rs. 60 lakh. The Ministry has also released an amount of Rs. 9825 lakh as grants to 49 National Sports Federations during 2000-01 and 2001-02 till date. Besides this central assistance has been granted under a number of schemes like those for Creation of Sports Infrastructure; Installation of Synthetic Playing Surfaces; Rural Schools and Development of Sports and Games.

A major activity this year was the creation of sports infrastructure for the first Afro-Asian Games (AAG). The preparations for the inaugural AAG proposed to be held in New Delhi from 3rd to 11th November

2001 were in an advanced stage till the emerging security situation compelled the Government to postpone the Games. A total expenditure of about Rs. 48 crore is likely to be incurred on renovation and up-gradation of the stadia under the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The major work to be carried out at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was the replacement of 8-lane synthetic athletic track in the main arena; Replacement of 4-lane synthetic athletic track in warm-up area outside the stadium and repair of concourse/seating area and repair/replacement of seats. At the Indira Gandhi Stadium the repair/replacement of arena lights and all the A.C. plant chillers has been completed. In National Stadium the synthetic hockey turf in main arena has been replaced and installation of additional new synthetic hockey turf is at the final stage. As far as the Talkatora Swimming Pool is concerned the repair and replacement of both the A.C. plants as well as the water boiler has been completed. In Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Ranges the major work of providing wind breakers for all ranges up-gradation of 10 M range and replacement of Overhead Baffle have been completed. Simultaneously the work of repairs and up-gradation at Shivaji Stadium Chhattarsal Stadium Dr. Ambedkar Stadium and the R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium is completed.

As far as individual achievement in the field of sports is concerned a number of Indian Sports Persons excelled at the international level indicating a slow yet sure improvement in standards in various disciplines in the last two years. These are - Abhinav Bindra made a Junior World Record in 10-meter rifle shooting; Vishwanathan Anand became a World Champion in Chess; P. Gopichand won all England Badminton Championship; Ramesh Kumar (69 Kg.) got a Gold Medal in World Junior Wrestling Championship in August 2001 held in Tashkent; Parminder Cheema also won a Gold Medal in 130 Kg. Weight category in the same Championship; Indian girls for the first time won three Silver and two Bronze Medals in Asian Boxing Championship in August 2001. By bagging the highest number of medals (13 Gold 6 Silver and 9 bronze) the Indian shooting contingent bagged the first position in the recently conducted Commonwealth Shooting Championship in England U.K.; Humphy Koneru became the youngest woman player to receive the Grand Master title for Women in Chess; and Karnam Malleshwari secured the bronze medal in weightlifting at the Sydney Olympics - the first woman and the only Indian athlete to do so.