It appears as if something is being done to improve sport in Karnataka. After years of neglect, which have left sportspersons disgruntled, plans for a sports policy is finally in the offing. Currently, only Kerala and Rajasthan boast of such a policy.

The Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) Commissioner Amar Kumar Pandey and A S Srikanth, secretary to government of the Department of Youth Services and Sports, have set the ball rolling to formulate a sports policy or act in the State. In this regard, sportspersons, administrators and coaches from all over Karnataka were invited for a conference on Saturday to give suggestions on how to improve sport.

Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph spoke on the merits of having a sports policy.

The response to the conference was rather good. Various present and past athletes and coaches aired their grievances and made suggestions which could possibly be implemented in the sports policy.

Various topics like sports medicine and its importance in modern day sport, facilities, incentives for medal-winning sportsp-ersons, grants, preventing the exodus of sportspersons from the State and role of the media in promotion of sport were discussed.

Pandey said: "We hope to have the draft of the policy by December 31 this year and we will submit it to the government by Jan 14, 2008.

"We need to understand the network, and coordination is important. We are working with the Department of Education with regard to sport in schools. In many sports schools, the infrastructure is not upto the mark. We will start sport and exercise centres soon."

Publicity

Plans to publicise sport are also in the offing. "We are trying to have a tie-up with BSNL, AIR and Doordarshan and have 30,000 locations where television screens and radios will relay sports news," Pandey said.
"More importantly, there needs to be a brand value for Karnataka sport. We also plan to have a sports fund. There are many clubs and agencies which are disorganised. They need to be brought into the same line of thinking for better productivity," Pandey added.

"This is just a beginning," Pandey stated. "Sport for all and excellence in sport should be the vision," explained Srika-nth. "First, we need to do an analysis of the infrastructure we have. There should be increased fund allocation and it should be spent properly and fully. We will also concentrate on employment opportunities for sportspersons, encouragement of local and rural sport, rope in corporates for discussion and other things," he added.

Srikanth also said athletes who have achieved something should not feel shy to let the government know of their feats through applications.

However, some of the most valuable suggestions were from the invitees. Things like insurance for athletes, some kind of a forum where athletes can air their grievances, publishing an annual year book of achievements from the State's sportspersons, having a database of elite sportspersons and implementation of central government policies among others were suggested.