Government not to outsource operation of its swimming pools

The state government has decided to maintain and operate all swimming pools it owns in the coming days, Minister for Youth Empowerment and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj said on Monday.

The Youth Empowerment and Sports department can earn good revenue by operating the swimming pools. The practice of outsourcing the operation and maintenance of the pools will be done away with, he told reporters.

For instance, a private contractor who was operating a government swimming pool in Udupi district would pay Rs 34,000 per month to the department. Starting April this year, the department is managing the pool and earning a profit of Rs 8 lakh every month, he said. The department is initiating steps to appoint trainers at all its pools, he added.

The minister admitted that the department is facing the problem of shortage of coaches at sports stadiums and academies in the state. “We currently have 90 coaches for various sports in 10 sports academies and training centres. About 200 more coaches are required. The department has initiated steps to appoint 100 coaches this year,” he said.

Commenting on track and field athletes expressing displeasure over footballers using Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru recently, Madhwaraj said the stadium is a government-owned facility and everybody has equal right to use it. “However, the department will not allow private coaches and sports clubs to take it for a ride. We have received complaints that they (private coaches and sports clubs) are charging exorbitant fees from people. We will not allow them to take people for a ride,” he warned.

The minister announced NSS state awards for the year 2015-16. The awards will be  presented at a programme scheduled to be organised on Tuesday at Vidhana Soudha, he added.