SRINAGAR: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children and Youth & Sports concluded its 2-day study tour of Kashmir with discussions and deliberations over the development and availability of sporting and other infrastructure facilities to sportspersons and athletes of Jammu and Kashmir.
The committee was led by its chairman and Lok Sabha member, Rajendra Agrawal. In its last day of the two-day study tour, the standing committee today inspected Water Sports Center at Nehru Park situated in famous Dal Lake while witnessing training sessions with respect to various water sports disciplines. The committee members appreciated the coaching standards and International Standard Water Sports Equipments at the facility, besides they also interacted with the water sports players who have won laurels at various national and international games. They enquired about the training and courses of water sports activities being held at the facility. The Parliamentary Standing Committee had arrived on July 7 on its two-day study visit to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir where the members from both the houses of Parliament (Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha) met several stakeholders to receive feedback on the subject matter of the committee.
On the occasion, J&K Sports Council officials delivered a presentation with regard to different sporting and infrastructural activities in J&K. They informed the committee members about the renovation and upgradation of Bakhshi Stadium in Srinagar under PMDP and the construction of other outdoor and indoor stadium across the UT. Speaking on the occasion, Rajendra Agrawal lauded the role of the J&K Sports Council and Youth Services & Sports department in promoting sporting and gaming activities in the UT and hoped that J&K would play an important part during the participation of sporting events at international level. He said the objective of the committee to visit the Valley was to talk to stakeholders and understand the issues on ground in order to make valid recommendations to the Government in resolving difficulties, if any. He also appreciated the facilities and trainings being provided to the local youth which would encourage them to choose sports as their career while competing both at national and international level. Commenting on the Water Sports Center at Nehru Park, the committee members said that Dal Lake has huge potential to host most of the water sports events in India.
The committee members also interacted with outstanding sportspersons and enquired about the issues and difficulties while pursuing their career in their respective sports and games. Calling the deliberations with senior officials and sportspersons as fruitful, the Committee Chairman, Rajendra Agrawal summed up the proceeding of the session and said that J&K has a huge potential in terms of producing world-class athletes and sports personalities while the need is to explore and groom the region’s talent in right direction.
Principal Secretary Youth Services & Sports, Alok Kumar; Administrative Secretary School Education, BK Singh; DG Youth Services & Sports, Dr Salim Ur Rehman; Director School Education Kashmir, Tassaduq Hussain Mir; Additional Secretary School Education, Naseer Ahmad Wani; Secretary J&K Sports Council, Ms Nuzhat Gull, outstanding sports person from Kashmir, coaches from various sporting fields and other concerned were also present on the occasion.
