Minister for Youth Empowerment and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj on Tuesday said that the new sports policy of Mangalore University should be a guiding policy for all other universities.
Speaking after inaugurating south zone inter-university men’s kho kho championship 2016-17, the minister, who released the policy, also complimented the university authorities for taking the lead, much before the state government could launch its own policy.
The minister, however, felt that not every educational institution gave due recognition to sports like Mangalore university did.
He recalled a call from a student only to complain that the authorities did not allow students to participate in a sports meet, after the students had practised for one year.
Citing his recent meeting with Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel, Madhwaraj said, “In other countries, the departments of sports and health are merged, as both are inter-dependent. In Karnataka, while the Health Department gets a budgetary allocation of Rs 5,000 crore, the Department of Sports is yet to get the much-required financial assistance.” The minister added that he has even brought the same to the notice of chief minister.
Vice chancellor of Mangalore University Prof K Byrappa said, “According to the policy, all the expenses of sports enthusiast students will be borne by the university, to attend special camps and even trips abroad. Grace marks, attendance and incentives will also be extended, besides setting the perfect stage for talent hunt.”
Kho kho
A total of 63 teams from different universities of south India are taking part in the four day-long tournament. Apart from Karnataka, it includes teams from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala States and Puducherry.
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