A look back at the 2017 Sports Policy of Chhattisgarh which revolutionized sports in the state
India's journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been a tale of agonizingly close finishes, with several Indian athletes coming within a hair's breadth of clinching medals. Despite the lack of podium finishes, India’s performances show a marked improvement in their level, across sports.
The heart-wrenching fourth-place finishes, the sheer number of Indian athletes who qualified for events and put on performances previously thought impossible are evidence to the country's sporting progress.
This transformation isn't accidental but the result of deliberate policy changes, strategic investments, and a growing sports culture across the nation. One such policy that has played a role in India’s growth is that of Chhattisgarh, where a comprehensive overhaul of sports policy in 2017 has significantly contributed to the development of sports and the emergence of talent at the national level.
In 2017, Chhattisgarh introduced a new sports policy that overhauled their system and brought a new approach towards sports development within the state. The policy looks to reshape the environment into one that would establish a thriving culture of sports, backed by a structured system for talent identification and its eventual grooming of people into world-class athletes.
A closer look at Chhattisgarh's sports policy
The policy established the groundwork for a healthier and fitter population by installing outdoor gym equipment in public places and walking/cycling tracks.
The state also laid emphasis on the promotion of traditional sports and modern ones. District-wise sports competitions, sports festivals, marathons, and rural sports events are being organized to instill a spirit of competitiveness among the general masses.
A major and long-term initiative of the policy was the systematic identification and encouragement of talent from every district. Besides school, collegiate, and university competitions, this institutionalized a ladder of advancement for youngsters.
Looking at the potential found in tribal communities, special training programs were designed for tribal athletes to make certain that talent was groomed regardless of background.
Chhattisgarh's policy also introduced a "Sports Data Bank" to aid in talent selection and player welfare. Further, the policy has ensured that there would be strong support systems for athletes in terms of accommodation, nutritious food, sports equipment, and state-of-the-art training facilities.
Alongside these benefits given to athletes, the Chief Minister Sports Scholarship was introduced, providing monetary support to talented athletes; increased dietary allowances and cash prizes to medal winners. Incentives to national and international medalists through bonus marks and lifetime honor funds were also increased.
The policy also ensured that playground space was mandatory for each residential area, which further opened up accessibility to sports for one and all. World-class infrastructure in sports is also being developed with the help of public-private partnerships.
The policy also took serious steps toward making sports inclusive. The government made sports education compulsory in schools and its regular promotion was encouraged at colleges and universities.
The policy also initiated some special measures for the development of women athletes and senior citizens. It took measures to ensure the safety of women in the vicinity of stadiums and offered both males and females equal opportunities to exhibit their talents.
The policy also implemented programs that would help the disabled and third-gender athletes with the facilitation of resources, training, and provisions to achieve a status where they could compete in the playing field.
The government further ensured that the policy is being implemented through the formation of the Chhattisgarh State Sports Authority and District Sports Development Committees, which play an important role in actualizing sports initiatives with effectiveness everywhere in the state.