To create a national benchmark, Centre for sports in concurrent list Annual sports talent search to begin soon
The Centre has proposed to transfer ‘sports’ from the state to the concurrent list of the Constitution to achieve a national benchmark in the field with the support of state governments.
The concurrent list includes items in the seventh schedule of the Constitution, on which both the Centre and states have the power to legislate. At present, sports is a state subject. The Centre provides funds and consultancy to states for sporting events, lays down guidelines for national sports federations, and facilitates coaching and selections, among others.
In a recent letter to the state government, the union ministry of youth affairs and sports states that placing sports in the concurrent list will help promote sporting excellence, physical education, child and youth development, gender equity, and economic opportunities.
“It is not a new proposal; the central government first mooted such a proposal in 1988, but it was withdrawn in the absence of a consensus among states,” said a senior official of the state sports department on condition of anonymity.
Transferring sports to the concurrent list will enable the Centre to formulate a comprehensive
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policy to create a national sports vision, on the lines of the National Education Policy and Right to Education Act, the letter said.
“On the chief minister’s directive, the sports department is examining various aspects of the proposal. The state had earlier expressed its disagreement to such proposals in 1991, 1997 and 2005,” the official said.
He said the state government has given cooperation to national schemes, such as Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan, Rajiva Gandhi Khel Scheme or Khelo India, despite enacting the Rajasthan Sports Act 2005.
“The state government has sought information on the proposed legislation that aims to transfer sports to the concurrent list,” the official said.
One lakh boys and girls will take part in a state level Annual Talent Search Sports Championship, to be held between November 2017 and February 2018. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje had announced the mega sports meet in her last budget speech.
“The championship, to be organised by the Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC) in association with the district associations, will include 14 disciplines,” said Narayan Singh, the sports council secretary. It will cost the government ₹3.34 crore including cash prizes worth ₹74.24 lakh, he added.
The disciplines in which the games will be held include basketball, hockey, football, volleyball, kabaddi, kho-kho, athletic, archery, badminton, wrestling, swimming, tennis and table tennis. “School students can take part in the championship. One player can participate in two individual events,” Singh said. The participants should be between 14 and 18 years of age.
The tournament will be organised at district, divisional and state levels. Participation of at least 10 teams is mandatory in the district level tournament, out of which two teams will take part in the divisional level championship. While the winners will directly qualify for the divisional level championship, second team will be selected by the officials.
Singh said that a total ₹92 lakh will be spent on a district level tournament, a divisional level tournament will cost ₹98 lakh and ₹70 lakh will be spent on the state level tournament. The winners and runners up will get cash prizes worth ₹50 lakh at district level, ₹17.92 lakh at divisional level and ₹5.63 lakh at state level.
Singh said that districts can organise their tournament between November 20 and December 31. The divisional level tournament has to be conducted between January 1 and January 31 next year. There are seven divisional headquarters in Rajasthan. “The state level championship will be organised in the Pink City between February 1 and 28, 2018, in 14 disciplines for three days,” said Singh.
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