12th Meeting of the Sub-Committee of Administrator’s Advisory Council of Sports was held today under the chairmanship of Sh. Sanjay Tandon. In this meeting, the President/Secretary of various Sports Associations of the City, were also invited.
At the outset, Director Sports cum Member Secretary of the Committee informed the major initiatives taken by the Sports Department during the last one year including the launch of maiden Sports Policy, Inauguration of Synthetic Athletic Track, Sector 7 and disbursal of Cash Award to 311 International and National medalists on the occasion of National Sports Day on 29th August 2024.
He also highlighted several progressive measures of the policy, including the substantial increase in the Scholarship budget for sportspersons, a generous cash award of Rs. 6 Crore for Olympic Gold Medalist and rolling gradation system. He further highlighted the use of information technology in granting these benefits to the sportspersons in a time bound manner.
The Scholarship to meritorious sportspersons is being disbursed online for which applications for year 2023-24 have been invited through departmental portal on 11.09.2024. Further online portal for cash award and disbursal of grant to sports associations is being developed and will be made operational in the coming months.
The members of the various Sports Associations present in the meeting appreciated and acknowledged the progressive steps taken by the Sports Department in recent past for the betterment of Sports in City Beautiful and assured full support to the Department in this Endeavour. During the meeting, they highlighted some shortcomings such as shortage of equipments, coaches and hostel facilities for the players.
They further demanded a world class multipurpose hall in Chandigarh so that various Notational and International sports events of indoor games may be conducted under one roof. Sanjay Tandon, also appreciated the working of Sports Department and acknowledged the remarks made by the office bearers of the Associations in this regard.
He welcomed the suggestions given by the members present in the meeting and assured that the Sub- Committee and the Department will work on them for the betterment of Sports in Chandigarh. He mentioned that Associations are an important stakeholders in the process for the improvement of Sports and Sub-Committee will meet them at least once in an year to take their feedback.
He also mentioned that important issues raised by the Sports Associations in this meeting will be taken up in the upcoming meeting of the Administrator’s Advisory Council to be held on 14.09.2024. Sh. Sorabh Kumar Arora, PCS, Director Sports, Dr. Mahender Singh, Joint Director Sports and President/Secretary of 22 Sports Associations of the City attended the meeting.