JOIN USGovt plans SAI centre in M'lore
Speaking after inaugurating the All India inter-university badminton tournament at Mangalagangothri on Thursday, he assured that the centre will have world class infrastructure.
Youth form 40 per cent of India’s population and hence the governments need to do much more to harness the young talents. He commented that the sports persons of Dakshina Kannada have achived a lot in spite of the poor infrastructure and appreciated their effort. Acting Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University K K Achary presided over the inaugural function. MLAs U T Khader, Abhayachandra Jain, Syndicate members P V Mohan, Thejomaya, Registrar K Chinnappa Gowda, Director of Phsical Education H Nagalingappa and others were present on the occasion.
As many as 31 teams from 24 universities are participating in the three-day tournament which will conclude on January 17. Earlier, the minister laid the foundation stone for the proposed outdoor stadium in the university campus. The stadium, which is built in a 30 acre land will comprise a 400m athletic track and a swimming pool. The estimated cost for the project is Rs 25 crore—Rs 20 crore for the track and 5 crore for the swimming pool. The University has submitted the proposal to the minister, seeking financial help from the Centre. The university is also planning to build an international cricket stadium near the outdoor stadium, in a 20 acre land.
Rural stadium
The minister also checked out the 11 acre land reserved for a stadium by the Balepuni Grama Panchayat. The land located near the Navodaya college has many educational institutions in the neighbourhood. The Grama Panchayat has already shelled out close to Rs 4.5 lakhs to level the ground with the help of Infosys and the Zilla Panchayat. However, it is estimated that atleast Rs 15 lakhs more is required to complete the works.
Minister Pratik Patil informed MLA U T Khader that as per Central government norms, only Rs 1 lakh can be allotted to stadium in the Grama Panchayat level, and upto Rs 5 lakh in the Taluk Panchayat level. Since, the proposed stadium in Balepuni would cater to all neighbouring villages, it can be considered a taluk-level stadium and a maximum of Rs 5 lakh can be allotted. He assured that the matter will be considered seriously. Zilla Panchayat Member A C Bhandary and the office-bearers of Balepuni Grama Panchayat were present.
Sports minister fluent on sugar than sports
It seems the Union Minister of State for Sports Pratik P Patil is more comfortable discussing issues other than sports, especially the sugar prices. Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the All India inter-university badminton tournament at Mangalagangothri, the minister gave only cursory reply to the queries on national games, Commonwealth games, problems within the hockey federation and so on.
He even confessed that it is his senior M S Gill who takes care of all sports-releted issues and he has no knowledge about the same. However, when asked about the reason why the sugar prices are skyrocketing, Patil, who owns a sugar factory in Maharashtra himself, became eloquent, and analysed various facets of the issue.
“The production of sugar has been less this year, whereas the demand has gone high. This is the reason the sugar prices are so high,” he said.
When asked for his opinion on Mangala Stadium, which he had visited earlier in the day, the minister said that it is a good stadium and that the effort put in by the local governing body in its maintainance is very much evident. However, he offered to bring the stadium into the notice of Sports Authority of India, in order to improve the infrastructure.