Today The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent charge) Vijay Goel laid the foundation stone of the country’s first centre of excellence for differently abled sportsmen at Gandhinagar today.
The centre is proposed with an estimate of Rs 50 crores and will provide world class facilities such as indoor hall, tracks and 100 bedded hostel where para athletes will be trained for various international competitions including Paralympics.
The Minister on the occasion also inaugurated a sports training centre at Sports Authority of India campus in Gandhinagar. Around 50 differently abled sportsmen will be trained at the training centre for Athletics, Swimming and power lifting in the initial phase.
Addressing the media, the Minister said his government is committed to encourage sports culture in the country and will soon launch the sports talent hunt portal through which the talented amateur sportspersons from all parts of the country will be hunted and provided with training as well as scholarships.
The minister also informed the media that as per the vision of PM Narendra Modi, the sports Ministry has established task forces to select and train sportspersons for the coming Olympics in 2020.
Joint Secretary of department of Sports Shri Inder Dhamija, Gold Medallist in Rio-2016 Shri Devender Jhanjharia and Regional Director of Sport Authority of India Gandhinagar Shri R K Naidu and SAI Gandhinagar coaches and players were also present on the occasion.
