The Department of Youth Services and Sports has included 15 Gram Panchayats of Kolar district in its purview, in the first phase of the project. Infrastructure in sports will be provided in all the Government Higher Primary and High Schools of these Gram Panchayats.
A total sum of Rs 7.5 lakh has been sanctioned under this project on March 30. Out of the amount, each Gram Panchayat will get Rs 50,000 in the first phase.
Among the 156 Gram Panchayats in Kolar district, Kolar, Mulbagal and Malur taluks have been chosen under this project. The remaining 141 Gram Panchayats are yet to receive the benefits of the project.
PYKKA will help States in promoting sport at the grassroots level, which they have not been able to achieve on their own so far due to severe resource constraints. It will also deepen and widen the seedbed of sporting talent, leading to better performances by our sportspersons in national and international events.
It also aims to provide systematic, organised training for budding sportsmen in the villages, encourage them and channelise their efforts in the right direction and also provide amicable atmosphere and infrastructure to exhibit their talent.
Major stakeholder
The Union government is the major stakeholder, that is, 75 per cent of partnership in this project and the State government has a stake of 25 per cent. The duration of the project is 10 years and each Gram Panchayat will be getting grants to the tune of Rs one lakh and each hobli unit will be getting grants to the tune of Rs five lakh.
These grants will be utilised for the implementation of the project.
The project also aims to train and guide sportspersons from 20 different sports. Though the project was implemented in 2007-08, the Department of Youth Services and Sports of Kolar district had failed to submit an appropriate proposal, which failed to yield any results.
However, the Department had sent an appropriate proposal last year and the Government has also responded back by accepting it and also, in return has released grants for the implementation of PYKKA.
The Government School in Sugaturu village, Higher Primary School of Narasapur, Government High School of Beglihosalli and Vidyabhivruddhi High School of Vakkaleri village in Kolar taluk, Composite Pre-University Colleges of Chikkakunturu, Masti, Kudiyanuru, Hasandahalli, Doddakolara and Lakkur in Malur taluk and the Government High Schools of Mallanayakanahalli, Hebbani, Kurudamale, Yalagondahalli and Gummalapur in Mulbagal taluk have been chosen. All the three taluks have received Rs two lakh, Rs three lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh, respectively.
School playgrounds
Since the projects aims to provide sports infrastructure in any of the villages which come under the Gram Panchayat jurisdiction, in this backdrop, it has been decided to develop the playgrounds of the Government Higher Primary and Higher Primary Schools in the district.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Assistant Director of Department of Youth Services and Sports K Umalakshmi informed that in most of the rural areas, it was extremely difficult to find a separate place for the establishment of stadium. And even in case if the space is available, there are chances of stadium being under-utilised.
Instead, the Department has decided to utilise these funds for the development of school playground, so that, thousands of students can be benefited under the project.
She further said, “Last year, before I took charge as the assistant director, there was not a single proposal sent to the Government in this regard from Kolar district. The higher-ups in the Department had expressed their displeasure over this.
They had instructed me to initiate a proposal seeking the implementation of the project in the district.
As per their directions, there was an immediate response to the proposal. In the first phase, 15 Gram Panchayats were chosen. The remaining Panchayats will also be included under the project, phase by phase.”
She informed,”In 2007-08, the grants had been sanctioned. In 2008-09, no funds were sanctioned. But this year, apart from the grants, even various proposals to be implemented under this project, are also being readied.
Separate space
The proposals are being prepared by the Land Army Corporation engineer and also the development of the playgrounds have already begun. Also each ground will have space for track, football, kabaddi, shuttle badminton, throwball, kho kho, volley ball, high jump, etc.
Keeping in view the objectives of the project and also the fact that the project is being implemented for the first time in the district, the Department of Youth Services and Sports has conceived ambitious proposals to ensure that sports infrastructure and equipment was well developed in all the Gram Panchayats.
It is a matter of great pride that the Department is displaying genuine concern and is striving for the welfare of the district in sports scenario, Umalakshmi said.
DH News Service